Dear Hot Dog

July 18, 2011
Two-time Caldecott Medalist Gerstein praises life's simple joys and unsung objects in poems and loosely rendered acrylics, as the trio of speakers in his poems lovingly personify their subjects. In one, a girl looks sadly at her toes, lamenting: Toes:/ We've become strangers/ this winter./ I almost never/ see you." When the same child later licks a melting ice-cream cone, she announces, "I hold you high/ against the sky/ like Liberty's torch." Gerstein's keen observations and unrhymed phrases offer a window into a world in which autumn leaves fall "to the ground/ like a blanket of colorful,/ crispy cornflakes," and a toothbrush has a foamy, gargling life of its own. Ages 3â7.

July 15, 2011

As the subtitle indicates, poetry and pictures about everyday stuff.

The title poem contains all the virtues of the collection. It's lyrical yet accessible ("You are so fragrant, / plump, and steamy"), poetic ("snug as a puppy / in your bready bun") and more than a little mischievous ("I squeeze the sunny / mustard up and down / your ticklish tummy"). There is mischief as well in some of the presentations. The four stanzas of "Summer Sun" travel downward in rays. "Water" requires readers to turn the book 90 degrees for a vertical two-page poem against a blue background, illustrated with submerged kids in swim fins. Other highlights include "Pillow" ("My pillow sleeps / all day, / dreaming it's / a cloud"), "Books" ("Books! / All sizes, all colors, / whispering, / 'Come inside! / Come inside!' "), "Crayons" ("My crayons pop / up in their box, / hands raised") and "Light" ("Where do you go / when it's dark? / Back into lightbulbs / when I turn them off?"). Anthropomorphism is a running theme—a particularly apt one for young children; Gerstein infuses humanity into a toothbrush, shoes, a bowl, a kite, leaves and an ice-cream cone. His acrylic illustrations are in harmony with his verses; sharp black lines and rich colors that spread outside their outlines, giving a dreamy yet vivid effect.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-These poems look at everyday things like socks and leaves through the eyes of three youngsters. Both evocative and childlike, "Hot Dog" has a wonderful image of a frankfurter "snug as a puppy in your bready bun. I love you." "Ice-Cream Cone" explores the senses of touch and taste as a girl savors every last bit of the melting confection. In a final twist, she gives the cone to her little brother: "He likes them./I don't," making the verse seem to be the authentic voice of a child. The full-color and black-line illustrations on mostly white backgrounds are energetic and show children in poses that belong only to the young. They support the verses beautifully, although one slightly misses the mark. "Summer Sun" takes place at a pool, but the children appear to be seaside. As with many collections, not all of the poems are equally strong. Nevertheless, this book is lovely overall. Because the topics are concrete, it is a great tool for teaching poetry.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2011
Grades K-3 From the time they wake up in the morning, three kids talk to the small everyday things in their lives and imagine their feelings, from a toothbrush to a pair of pants to a cup, that gives a shape to shapeless milk / and orange juice . . . It puts a handle on them, so I can lift them / and pour them / into me. There are also poems about big things: Air is everywhere. Why can't I see it? Set against plenty of white space, the exuberant line-and-acrylic illustrations show the kids in action, alone and together, licking an ice-cream cone, flying kites, diving deep into the ocean. Rooted in the physical, the simple details make for exciting connections: water is in a cool glass and also in the clouds that pour down rain. Great for sharing with young children, this example of how poetry reaches into daily life is a good choice for creative writing classes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)