R.W. Alley is the author and illustrator of many children's books. For more than 20 years, he has been the illustrator of the revived Paddington Bear series, across multiple formats. Other recent work includes There's a Princess in the Palace- Five Classic Tales Retold, and Mitchell on the Moon. He received the Rhode Island Mock Caldecott Award for There's a Wolf at The Door, and a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book for Pearl and Wagner- One Funny Day. Books he has illustrated have been selected by Junior Library Guild and included in lists such as ALA Notable Books for Children, Bank Street Best Book of the Year, Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts, among others.
""Bustling scenes will keep readers searching for stories within the story. The main narrative, conveyed in blocky black text, can be followed easily, while the use of speech bubbles in the art adds to the fun. Early on, an elaborately labeled illustration of turnout gear is followed by diagrams of pumper and ladder engines and brush-breaker trucks, making this a true love letter to firefighters and their tools...Classic in style, rich in information, and sweet in story."" —Kirkus Reviews