Hot Dog

Hot Dog is a picture book written and illustrated by Doug Salati about a dachshund who has had enough of a sweltering summer day in the city. Right in the middle of a crosswalk, Hot Dog simply stops and refuses to take another step. His owner understands, and the two set off by taxi, train and ferry to an island beside the ocean. There Hot Dog runs on the sand, explores the tall reeds and enjoys a long, unhurried afternoon while his owner rests, before the pair head home as the sun goes down. Told in brief text and loose, sunlit illustrations, it is a gentle story about the need for a break and the comfort of a good companion. Written for children about 4 to 8 years old, it won the 2023 Caldecott Medal.