Gr 1-3-Sylver and Smith have created the perfect browsable title about that quintessential kid food. Full of easily digestible information bites, the book takes a peek at the beginnings of these sausage tubes in ancient Rome, but really gets into the gustatory story when the hot dog hits America's shores in the 19th century. The book also loads up readers with sidebar tidbits that include riddles, stats, hot-dog nomenclature, condiment news, contests, and more. The goofy, full-color retro cartoons match the frenetic pace of the text with food, people, and critters flying, jumping, and careering across the pages. Kids who have a hunger for some facts on hot dogs will definitely want to savor this book.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
This quirky picture book history of the hot dog traces its origins from ancient Roman sausage to its arrival in the U.S. (enter the hot dog bun) and beyond. Smith's impish cartoon figures are pictured gobbling up dogs at a ballgame and working on a factory line cranking out links. Trivia is included on side panels (ketchup was inspired by a "salty fish sauce called `ketsiap'Å" from China). The book does note that hot dogs aren't nutritionally ideal and asks readers to contemplate hot dogs of the future ("How about a healthy celery dog...?"). An energetic combination of history and food for thought. Ages 5-8. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
The fact that there is so much argument about who made the first hot dog says a lot about its appeal. (If you say frank, you're siding with the Frankfurt, Germany, contingent; if you say wiener, you're making the folks in Vienna, Austria, happy.) This zany picture book takes eaters that is, readers through the snack's journey from Roman pig-intestine delicacy to its modern ubiquity at ball parks, cookouts, and dinner tables. Key for the American audience is the nineteenth-century immigration that led to dog stands gaining popularity in hot spots like Coney Island. Sidebars patterned with a retro-cool look clash with the Mad magazine-style cartoon art, but the visual chaos is intentional and plays into the mustard-stained mitts of the target audience. Fun facts fly fast and furious: L.A. is America's dog-hungriest city; the wiener equivalent at South African sporting events is beetroot salad. Also included are regional dog differences (get that ketchup off my Chicago Dog!), the rise of the veggie dog, recipes, and plenty of mouth-watering photos. Don't read before lunch.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
