The Good Fire Helmet by Tim Hoppey and Lori McElrath-Eslick

The Good Fire Helmet
by Tim Hoppey, illus by Lori McElrath-Eslick

The Good Fire Helmet is a story about being brave in everyday life and believing in yourself.

Ten-year-old Tommy and six-year-old Christian treasure the firefighter's helmet that once belonged to their dad. The chaplain had told the boys, "If you just touch your fingers to this fire helmet, its courage can be given to you. A good fire helmet has been known to do that."

Christian believes the helmet makes him brave when he gets a shot at the doctor's office and wards off scary shadows at night, but his big brother isn't so sure. Tommy's real test of courage comes the day Christian falls into the creek and is swept downstream, along with the helmet. Tommy draws on memories of his dad--and the courage he finds inside himself--to rescue his brother.

ISBN 978-1-934617-06-9
9.5"x8.5" Hardcover. 32 pages $16.95

Available from major wholesalers and retailers, www.MilitaryFamilyBooks.com, and Amazon.com. To order direct, please call 651-357-8770.

Press Release

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Author Bio

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Illustrator Bio

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Fire Helmets

What a fire helmet looks like can tell you a lot about where it works! In New York City (where author Tim Hoppey is a firefighter), the color of the leather shield on the front of the helmet tells you what type of company the helmet works in. A helmet with a black shield belongs to an engine company. A helmet with a red shield works in a ladder company. The big number on the front of the helmet tells you the company number (Engine Company 91) and the smaller number below it is the firefighter's badge number. The "flaps" in the front are eye shields. They flip down to protect the firefighter's eyes. There is usually a band around an active helmet that holds the firefighter's flashlight. The helmet in The Good Fire Helmet is retired and the band has worn off. The helmet in the story is modeled after Tim's real-life helmet.

The Helmet in This Book:

This is Christian from The Good Fire Helmet wearing his dad's fire helmet from Engine Company 91.

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