Hot Diggity Dog: The History of the Hot Dog
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, globespanning 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.
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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, globespanning 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. Publishers Weekly 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’” 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)
\ Publishers WeeklyThis 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’” 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)\ \ \ \ \ Children's Literature\ - Mary Hynes-Berry\ There is a lot to be said for an informational picture book like Hot Diggity Dog—if nothing else it makes it clear that even the most mundane topic—like the humble hot dog—can give rise to intriguing questions—and answers that connect history, science and other disciplines. Sylvar structures the book to move from the origins of the sausage in ancient Rome up to the latest in veggie dogs and extreme eating contests. She does a good job of introducing nutritional considerations without being too heavy-handed. Each spread provides a paragraph of solid information. Side bars throw in fun factoids such as the fact that the Apollo 2 crew was the first to eat hot dogs in space. Smith's brightly colored, slightly whacked cartoon illustrations reinforce the feeling that reluctant readers can pick this book up without feeling threatened—or obliged to go through it all in one sitting. However, confident readers and adults are equally likely to find some good food for thought as they page through this book. Reviewer: Mary Hynes-Berry\ \ \ School Library JournalGr 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\ \ \ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsHow did hot dogs become so popular? asks Sylver in this popular history of the wiener. Well, it sure wasn't because folks watched how the frankfurter was made-egads!-but two words do come to mind: salt and fat. The author does note that, but she is more inclined to delve into the dog's history-it may well be the hoariest of junk foods; Homer knew about sausages and slipped them into the Odyssey-and explore their cultural relevance, from Everyman's quick, cheap, Depression-proof meal, to being knit into the fabric of baseball stadiums across the land. Accompanied by Smith's handsomely goofy, retro artwork, the narrative offers sidebars with factual tidbits galore-Frankfurt, Germany, celebrated the frankfurter's 500th birthday in 1987; the origins of Nathan's Famous and the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile; Humphrey Bogart telling it like it is: "A hot dog at the ball park is better than a steak at the Ritz"-which entertainingly meld to give the hot dog specific character. Attention is also paid to condiments: Mustard was used to treat Roman battle wounds and bathe sausages, though not at the same time. (websites, further resources, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-8)\ \
