#dougsalati

[cloverdalebooks]

Hot Dog

Written and illustrated by Doug Salati

Print book 

Published May 24, 2022 by Knopf Books for Young Readers, Penguin Random House 

Awards: Randolph Caldecott Medal (2023) and Ezra Jack Keats Book Award (2023) 

Dimensions:  9x10ish inches. 32 pages long, with illustrations on the title and copyright pages  

Age range according to publisher: 4-8 years. I agree more with 4-6. I think 7-8 year-olds might appreciate the art and story, but some might prefer more challenging text. 

Hot Dog follows the perspective of an overwhelmed, overheated little dog accompanying their owner on errands during a hot day in the city, and the refreshing trip to the beach that follows when the owner realizes the dog needs a break.

The text and illustrations work together beautifully to portray what the little dog is seeing and feeling. Readers are invited into the dog’s sensory experience through spare, lyrical lines of text that emphasize heat, noise, and frustration in the first half...

...then spaciousness, playfulness, and rest in the second. The illustrations richly depict the crowded cityscape details in reds, yellows, and grays, then changes to a wash of deep blues, greens, and tans at the beach.

As dog and owner return home in the evening, pages depicting the subway, city streets, and apartment show comfort in coming home to a familiar place after a rejuvenating time away. 

This book would be a perfect addition to a summer reading list for young children, and caregivers can use this book to begin several conversations. Of course, it can be read purely for enjoyment without the pressure of needing to make it into a lesson, but several opportunities for teachable moments are available.

One example is taking special care of pets during the summertime and remembering that they can’t tell us with words when they’re thirsty or if their paws are burning on the pavement. How can we pay attention to what their behavior is communicating and how can we help them?

Another example could be considering how to take care of oneself and each other in crowded, overstimulating situations. How can you tell your grownup you need some water or a break from the crowd? How can you help your little sibling or cousin if they’re feeling overwhelmed? (Taking deep breaths, centering exercises, etc.) 

The title of the book is “Hot Dog” and the dog depicted is a Dachsund. Caregivers can discuss how some words or phrases have multiple meanings: Dachsunds are nicknamed “wiener” or “sausage” dogs due to their shape, so “hot dog” can refer to both the Dog’s breed and temperature. Can you think of other examples like this? 

Overall, this book is an excellent new award winner featuring beautiful art and a compelling protagonist.

#picturebooks #dougsalati #summerreads #beachreads

[mouloudb13]

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#bookaward #bookstagram #bookawards #authors #selfpublished #authorsofinstagram #award #bookerprize #authorscommunity #authorsofig #weneeddiversebooks #booklover #bibliophile #yalit #author #books #matthewfarina #dougsalati #ejkaward #pulitzerprize #kataraprize #read #awardwinningauthor #bookawardpro #reading #awardwinning #nobleprize #selfpublishedauthor #bookmarketing #literaryawards