Kai to the Rescue!

PreS-Gr 1—Three red fire trucks live at Firehouse #10, "side by side, clean and polished, ready for the next day's action." Enter a tiny green and white pumper truck. Small and shy, Kai finds crayons to color himself red in an attempt to fit in. Despite his best efforts, he is ignored, teased, and pushed aside while others take the lead. When an underbrush fire presents a challenge, only a tiny pumper truck can handle it. Now Firehouse #10 is a team of four—a team known for its collaboration, individual talents, skills, and confidence. Praise comes from the previously skeptical Captain, who now voices his belief that size and color don't matter: "When the fire is out, we all look the same: the color of dirt, ash, and grime." Light washes over digital cartoon images, revealing expressive faces in windshields and truck hoods while featuring details of the action and darkened areas of the station. Although the text is limited mostly to multiple lines in a single area of each page, alternating full-page and spotlight illustrations accentuate the vibrantly painted details and keep pages turning with a winning hero and a message of inclusiveness.