Fire! Fire! Said Mrs. McGuire    by Bill Martin Jr. & Vladmir Radunsky Order:  USA  Can Harcourt, 2006 (2006) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch The original text to this old rhyme is brought back to life with new illustrations in "Fire! Fire!" Said Mrs. McGuire. The story is a case of mistaken actions that get out of control. A mouse named Mrs. McGuire catches sight of flames through a keyhole, and yells 'Fire Fire!' Of course, this prompts a series of reactions by the other mice, my favorite line being: ''Oh, help us and save us!' said Mrs. McDavis, as she slid down the stairs with a sack of potatoes.' The mice finally burst into the room where they spotted the fire, only to realize that what they saw were birthday candles. In fact, a cat is celebrating his birthday, which adds to the irony, and the humor, of the story. The rhyme sequences remind me a bit of Polly Cameron's I Can't Said the Ant, though Martin's text is much shorter. The collage-like illustrations and the key hole shaped cut-out at the end add charm to the cute rhyme. This picture book is geared towards the younger set, who will enjoy the surprise ending. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews