Fire Truck vs. Dragon

PreS-Gr 2–Despite the two titular characters going head-to-head as depicted on the cover, the fire truck and the dragon are actually good friends. The title page spread reveals that the main characters are having a good laugh at the expense of a family of onlookers who have preconceived notions about what fire trucks and dragons are capable of doing. They are a winning team at campfires; with the help of his headlights and a flashlight, dragon creates a super shadow bunny on the tent wall at night. Meanwhile, both parents and baby appear baffled and disappointed that their marshmallows remain untoasted. On a hot summer day, Fire Truck provides snow cones, and on a cold, wintry night Dragon is right there with blankets. Registering the family’s mounting frustration, the friends decide to give the people what they want: “Fire Truck vs. Dragon!!!” Anticipatory smiles quickly vanish as the friends face off…in a staring contest. Still, there is some redemption in the end though much is left to the imagination. The vibrant pencil-and-watercolor cartoon illustrations were edited in Photoshop and feature the radiant red truck and his bright blue friend in a variety of surprising activities; the little family’s responses to them are hilarious and mirror the readers’ sentiments.