Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog - Hardcover

Sylver, Adrienne

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525478973 ISBN 13: 9780525478973

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2010

Synopsis

If we are what we eat, Americans are hot dogs.

We ate them on the way to the moon and served them to the king of England. We name a Hot Dog Eating Champ! Garnished with hilarious illustrations and amazing "foodie" facts, this kid-friendly, globe-spanning history of our favorite fast-food meal offers unique insight into America's multicultural heritage. From a hobo's franks-and-beans to astronaut food, there's more to the wiener--and what's for dinner--than you think.

About this title

About the Author

Adrienne Sylver grew up in Ohio, where she rooted for the Cleveland Indians and learned to appreciate a good stadium hot dog. A reporter, she lives in Miami with her family.

Elwood H. Smith studied art at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and now lives with his wife in Rhinebeck, New York.

Reviews

Grade 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
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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. Grades K-3. --Daniel Kraus

Edition details

• Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0525478973
• ISBN 13: 9780525478973
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Smith Elwood
• Number of pages: 32