The ultimate showdown gets waylaid by an inconvenient friendship. What could be cooler than a fire truck going head-to-head with a dragon? From the title, fans of Barton's Shark vs. Train (illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, 2010) will be prepped for some major fire-and-water action. The three child protagonists certainly anticipate a humdinger of a battle, but unfortunately, antipathy is not on the menu. Turns out, Fire Truck and Dragon are the best of buds. Worse, they won't even take advantage of their natural gifts. A campout sees them making shadow puppets with flashlights. A barbecue is just a chance for them to show off their "free-range potato salad" and "firehouse beans." And don't even bother inviting them to your birthday party, unless you just want them spinning you around before you try for the piata. When at last the two do face off, what occurs? A staring contest. But readers shouldn't give up hope. They haven't seen how they say good night. Barton deftly upsets expectations, both for those familiar with his previous book and newcomers who know what "versus" means. Laughs come equally from the disappointed children in the book as well as readers' thwarted guesses as to what is going to happen. And McCloskey's daffy cartoons make a perfect complement to Barton's high-wired hilarity. A friendship story for the young and vicious. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Barton's energetic day-in-the-life story of an unlikely pair of friends, Fire Truck and Dragon, teaches young readers quite literally to look beyond a book's cover. While the title and jacket imply a battle between the two powerhouses, the amicable story is anything but that. Although the children in the book wish to see an epic fight go down, Fire Truck and Dragon defy stereotypes and proudly flaunt their friendship, reminding onlookers that not only do they get along swimmingly but they also have many hidden talents that shouldn't be overlooked: they enjoy cooking together, attending and participating in social functions, fostering creative hobbies, and, most important, sharing time with each other and the neighborhood kids. McCloskey's vibrant illustrations implement a striking primary-color palette with expressive characters and fun, roughshod line work to match the liveliness of the plot. This book teaches readers to appreciate differences, value unlikely and unexpected friendships, and be proud of themselves and their loved ones for all their successes.--Stephanie Cohen Copyright 2019 Booklist

PreS-Gr 2--Despite the two titular characters going head-to-head as depicted on the cover, the fire truck and the dragon are actually good friends. The title page spread reveals that the main characters are having a good laugh at the expense of a family of onlookers who have preconceived notions about what fire trucks and dragons are capable of doing. They are a winning team at campfires; with the help of his headlights and a flashlight, dragon creates a super shadow bunny on the tent wall at night. Meanwhile, both parents and baby appear baffled and disappointed that their marshmallows remain untoasted. On a hot summer day, Fire Truck provides snow cones, and on a cold, wintry night Dragon is right there with blankets. Registering the family's mounting frustration, the friends decide to give the people what they want: "Fire Truck vs. Dragon!!!" Anticipatory smiles quickly vanish as the friends face off…in a staring contest. Still, there is some redemption in the end though much is left to the imagination. The vibrant pencil-and-watercolor cartoon illustrations were edited in Photoshop and feature the radiant red truck and his bright blue friend in a variety of surprising activities; the little family's responses to them are hilarious and mirror the readers' sentiments. VERDICT This companion to Barton's Shark vs. Train is not only good fun, but also shows children that people with differences can still be friends.--Barbara Auerbach, Cairo Public Library, NY

This time, the joke is on readers: unlike the rivals in Shark vs. Train, Fire Truck and Dragon are besties ("We get along great!" says Fire Truck. "Why wouldn't we?"). Each time there's a possible confrontation involving Dragon's incendiary talents and Fire Truck's capacity to extinguish them, the result is comically companionable. Looking forward to what will happen when the two show up at the same cookout or barbecue? Dragon proudly brings homemade free-range potato salad, and a beaming Fire Truck provides "my famous firehouse beans." "Is there something more they want to see from us? Something in particular?" Dragon innocently asks after yet another potential showdown ends on a benevolent note. They finally agree to "Facing off!!" ("Who will win?" says Dragon tantalizingly), which results in a staring contest. "I thought that... would be a crowd-pleaser," says Dragon, puzzled. Frustrated expectations have seldom been so funny; Barton's misdirections are beautifully timed, and McCloskey's digitally enhanced pencil-and-watercolor drawings are bright and exuberant. And yes, fire is finally breathed and water is spurted: that's how these two multifaceted pals say goodbye. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Stimola Literary Studio. (Mar.)

In Barton's Shark vs. Train (rev. 7/10), the rivals faced off against each other in a series of contests, and this companion book initially appears to follow the same playbook. The title and front cover tease an epic beast/machine showdown, but "it might surprise you that a fire truck and a dragon can in fact be good friends." So, sitting around a campfire, the dragon puts on a shadow puppet show to accompany the fire truck's scary story. And the pals bring "free-range potato salad" and "my famous firehouse beans" to a barbeque. Throughout, an audience of three kids has high hopes of seeing sparks fly and water blast; they're repeatedly left bemused and disappointed by the pair's camaraderie. Barton's speech-bubble text works exceptionally well with McCloskey's animated mixed-media illustrations, setting up our expectations before throwing us a curveball. The kids never say a word, but their actions and reactions are abundantly clear in the energetic art. "Wait. Do you think they'd be interested in that new thing we've been doing?" "Oh yeah! Where the two of us go head-to-head!" Finally! Or...not. A staring contest is not what the kids had in mind. But there's one last curveball in store, and it's definitely worth the wait. The visual humor will have listeners clamoring for re-matches, er, -readings. Kitty Flynn May/June 2020 p.90(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.