Fire is one of the most attractive and fascinating subjects for children. In their understanding, a fire truck is a vehicle for dangerous and noble adventures, and a firefighter is the most heroic profession. That is why S. Marshak's book "Fire," illustrated by V. Konashevich, has been published 28 times since 1923. It hasn't become outdated, hasn't faded from the scene, and has continued to live on in both the old and new illustrations of its best illustrator, Vladimir Konashevich.
Before you is the final version updated by the authors, which was released in 1952. Now the book's action unfolds against the backdrop of a modern city: fire engines have replaced fire horse-drawn carriages, and multi-story buildings have grown where there were once one-story houses. While re-illustrating "Fire," Konashevich observed the work of a fire station in Leningrad long and carefully, questioned the firefighters, and meticulously sketched the new vehicles. However, both in the text and the illustrations, a curious detail remained that has long since disappeared from modern firefighting, the meaning of which is worth explaining to children: the number of signal balls raised by a lookout above the fire tower indicated the intensity of the fire and the approximate direction of the blaze.
The light rhyme, engaging plot, and expressive, colorful drawings allow us to consider "Fire" by Marshak and Konashevich an unsurpassed masterpiece of literature "for little ones." Such an edition of "Fire" (as, indeed, all children's works by Marshak illustrated by V.M. Konashevich) should definitely be owned by all children and their parents.
Author: Samuil Marshak
Illustrations: Vladimir Konashevich
Pages: 16 (coated paper). Softcover
Dimensions: 280x216x3 mm
Series: Thin masterpieces for the very young
