Written and illustrated by
Chris Demarest
McEldeberry Books, ISBN 0689748161

Reviewed by Gwynne Spencer

A pop-up book, and a solid addition to the niche filled by his previous titles "Smoke Jumpers One to Ten," "Firefighters A To Z," and "Here Come our Firefighters!" all of which  share volunteer firefighter Demarest's love (and respect) for the fighters who have come to be a regular part of our summers in southwest Colorado.

Demarest's art, full of excitement and detail,  is just the thing to fire the imaginations of young readers, and his cadenced text will help even five year olds read these large-print exciting accounts of fire fighting. In "Hotshots!", kids will learn about "shake and bakes" as well as how the elite ground fire corps of men and women carry out the dangerous work of taming and stopping wild fires.

Complete with an illustration of a hotshot's outfit, a list of recommended books and films, and even websites that are kid-friendly, "Hotshots!"  by Chris Demarest is a great way to introduce four- to-eight year olds to the world of wildfire suppression.