GRADE K
Fire! ¡ Fuego! Brave Bomberos written by Susan Middleton Elya; illustrated by Dan Santat
AT A GLANCE Fire! ¡Fuego! Brave Bomberos offers children a glimpse into an action-packed day in the life of a crew of brave bomberos , or firefighters. Using a narrative that is seamlessly infused with Spanish, reflecting the way in which some bilingual people may speak, the bilingual author conveys the excitement and tension of the day as el capitán and crew members Juan, José, Carlota, and Héctor race to put out a fuego . Just when they think their work is done, the firefighters hear a tiny meow and have to figure out how they can save a cat. Success! Fire extinguished and cat saved, the firefighters return to the station, ready to eat, relax, and sleep—only to be awakened to the sound of an emergencia.
Genre/Text Type: Realistic Fiction/ Picture Book
Social-Emotional Focus: Social Awareness Strategy Focus: Picture Clues
INTRODUCE THE BOOK Show children the picture of the fire truck and crew on the front cover and read the title. Point out the Spanish words fuego (fire) and bomberos (firefighters) . Have children echo as you read the title again. Explain that the story is about a crew of Latino firefighters and mixes in many Spanish words. Ask: What do you know about firefighters? Record children’s responses on chart paper. Let’s read to find out what makes these bomberos brave. DURING READING As you read the book, pause to discuss the questions below. Encourage children to turn and talk with partners or share their thinking with the whole group. Book pages are not numbered. The first pages of text are pages 2–3. pp. 2–5 As the book begins, we meet four firefighters in the firehouse.
Rising Voices Theme Strong and Resilient
Note to the Teacher • Read-Aloud Tip Let your voice and expression flow naturally as you read the story in rhyming verse. If you are not a proficient Spanish speaker, be sure to preview the glossary, including pronunciations, before reading aloud to children. As you read, point to details in the pictures that relate to Spanish terms used. • Language Support Know that the match of text and art offers rich context to support diverse language learners. Point out details in the illustrations and take time to let children have a good look at the images. Vocabulary coaxed (p. 19) persuaded or made to do something, in a friendly way douse (p. 12) put out with water embers (p. 24) glowing pieces of wood or coal from a fire extinguished (p. 24) put out or stopped from burning rig (p. 6) a fire truck
What happens when the sirens sound? How can you tell something serious has happened? (retell; picture clues) The firefighters point their manguera , or hose, at the house. The house is all madera , which means wood. Why do you think the author decided to use words from two languages? (author’s purpose)
pp. 6–9
pp. 10–15 What do the firefighters do once they reach the fire? How will their actions help them put out the fire? (key ideas and details; problem and solution) pp. 16–21 Oh no! The firefighters hear a cat meowing! How does Carlota solve the problem? The children look so happy that the cat is safe! How would you feel if the cat were your pet? (problem and solution; make connections) pp. 22–23 After the fire, people thank the firefighters. How can you tell the people respect the firefighters? How can you tell the firefighters like helping others? (make inferences; picture clues) pp. 24–31 The firefighters clean up and go back to the station.
What happens just as they start to fall asleep? How do these details help you understand what it is like to be a firefighter? (key ideas and details; make inferences)
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