Matthew and the Midnight Firefighter — Allen Morgan

Matthew's latest ambition is to become a firefighter. So that evening, when he and his mother enjoy a July long-weekend barbecue, Matthew supervises his mother carefully. "These coals stay hot for a very long time," he reminds her. After watching the fireworks, Matthew goes to bed, still thinking about fire safety as he hears the sound of the last hissing rockets zoom up into the sky.

Before he knows it, Matthew is wide-awake. A rocket streaks through his window and lands on the floor, hissing, burning, and just about to explode Quickly Matthew douses the flames with a glass of water, and immediately, a fireman climbs up a ladder and jumps in through the window. Praising the boy's quick thinking, he recruits Matthew for the Midnight Fire Department. And not a moment too soon. A call comes in from the fire hall, Matthew grabs his boots and his new firefighter hat, and AWAY THEY GO

A wild and imaginative adventure that could only happen after bedtime, Matthew and the Midnight Firefighter is a fast-paced story for beginner readers who are almost ready for longer chapter books.