Hot Dog: (Winner of the 2023 Caldecott Medal) Hardcover – Picture Book, 24 May 2022

Very few words but this is a full book visually, the world is rich and believable. The dog character in particular is beautifully and sensitively depicted. I'm very happy with my purchase ☺️

I first heard of this book through an online video with the author-illustrator. I wasn’t sure if this book would release in the UK but I loved the style so much from small snippets online that I ordered it to ship from the US. I adore the style, the premise, the composition, the colours, all of it. I love the subtle details - the long shadows, colour palette and framing of the panels at the beginning when everything is too much, too hot. The chaos, the way Salati draws people, the style and the way the different city scenes fill the page. And then how those panel outlines disappear, how the colour palette completely changes as the dog and owner leave the city. And the use of space just gives an absolute freshness. The little nods here and there to earlier details - the seal, the stones. I appreciate a good picture book and I actually really love this book. Recently, I just keep opening it up to look at the details. I don’t know why it gives me so much - it might be because I work in the city and I resonate with the dog?!?I bought it for my friend’s kids too recently and their favourite part was the seal and dog scene, which they found hilarious.Thank you, Doug Salati.

Pitched perfectly, a gorgeous portrait of New York and a lovely friendship between dog and owner. Love that the protagonist is an older woman. It’s just beautiful.