Published: 2022
Author: Doug Salati
Illustrator: Doug Salati
Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Dogs, Summer, Fiction, Adventure, Storytime, Realistic Fiction, Nature
Audience (Grade Levels): Juvenile / Pre-K to Grade 3
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: Hot Dog
Triggers: None
Review By: Patricia Gabello
Publisher’s Summary:
From a critically acclaimed creator comes this summery picture book featuring an overheated—and overwhelmed—pup who finds his calm with some sea, sand, and fresh air.
It’s summer in the city, and this hot dog has had enough! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people’s feet right in his face. When he plops down in the middle of a crosswalk, his owner endeavors to get him the breath of fresh air he needs. She hails a taxi, hops a train, and ferries out to the beach.
Here, a pup can run!
With fluid art and lyrical text that have the soothing effect of waves on sand, Doug Salati shows us how to find calm and carry it back with us so we can appreciate the small joys in a day.
Review:
The 2023 Caldecott Medal winner didn’t disappoint me in ways that some of the winning picture books of past years have. Child-friendly and relatable, the adventures of our canine protagonist and his loving human are chronicled in this ode to a stifling summer day in and out of the city. Salati’s illustration style is imaginative. I especially appreciated the variation of frames, and unusual perspectives (but not bizarre for the sake of being obtuse). I also liked how the art is polished, but not sanitized. He makes the reader feel the heat of the summer street, the crowded subway, and the pleasure of being at the water. The final page is pure joy as the pup dreams of further adventures, and left a wide grin on my face. What more can you ask for?
How does a Caldecott Winner measure up to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? In this book, although delightful and entertaining and beautifully illustrated, not great. The main character is caucasian as are most of the other illustrated characters in the story. There are no images of anyone (not even dogs) with special needs. That said, this is a fun story that will speak to anyone who has felt overwhelmed by their surroundings or their circumstances—or anyone who’s owned a stubborn dachshund!
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Highly effective for early childhood lessons on emotional regulation, identifying feelings of being sensory-overwhelmed, and learning coping strategies to “find calm and carry it back with us.”
- Language Arts / Visual Literacy: An outstanding tool for teaching visual art concepts, specifically analyzing how variations in artistic frames, color palettes (shifting from oppressive city heat to cool beach tones), and unusual perspectives tell a story.
- Geography & Transportation: Explores patterns of urban living versus natural environments, while mapping the sequence of public and private transit systems used to travel (taxi, train, and ferry).
Extension Activity / Library Application:
- “My Calm Place” Art Workshop: Inspired by the dachshund’s emotional shift from the stressful city to the peaceful beach, ask students to draw or paint their own personal “calm place.” Pair this with a sensory writing exercise where they list things they see, hear, and feel when they need to reset.
- Caldecott Panel & Inclusion Critique: For upper elementary students (Grades 4-6), use the reviewer’s prompt to audit the book through a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion lens. Discuss how the book measures up, and challenge students to redesign an ensemble page or crowd scene from the city to include a more authentically diverse and inclusive community.
Diversity & Representation Note:
While highly praised for its child-friendly appeal and artistic merit, the book relies on a historically dominant, Eurocentric framework in its human character design. As the reviewer notes, it misses opportunities for deep intersectional representation, particularly regarding visible disabilities or multi-ethnic city spaces. However, it provides strong representation for the universal, inclusive theme of sensory processing, validating how both humans and animals experience and recover from environmental stress.
Readalikes:
- Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
- Blue by Britta Teckentrup
- The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster
