From the higher end of this publisher's phonics programme comes this read, which is a fun one concerning a firefighting mouse. Even though it's his birthday he's at work alone, when he has to go to investigate smoke – but there's no fire. He goes back to fetch a longer ladder when there's smoke higher up the same tree – again, no fire. This happens again and again – but he's not observing the clues in the art that tease us to something happening… Yes, the story is obvious but still charming, and the visuals are as strong as the repetitive pattern of the narrative. No, older readers will not think of that repetition as a virtue, but for those that still do this is four and a half stars.

Awesome book! Someone could say that this book was overly repetitive, but I think it worked well for what this series of books is trying to teach (phonics), as it allowed for the reader to consistently learn about various word sounds. What's even better is that the author wove a lesson into a story with a clear plot, which is always great for a children's book. There was a clear beginning, middle, and end, and the story had an overall idea/meaning to it. This helped bring the story full circle, but also made it easy to follow and understand. Lastly, the illustrations were done really well, and I enjoyed seeing a unique and cartoon-y art style while reading. Bravo!