Happy Halloweenie

Toddler-PreS--Weenie the hot dog is not sure what to wear for Halloween. Their closet is full of costumes. Should they dress as an ice cream, a banana, a ghost, or a knight? Weenie can't decide whether to be cute in a pumpkin costume or scary as a vampire. Should they be yucky, dressed as a zombie, or sweet, as a puppy? With so many choices, Weenie finally decides to be a little bit of everything! Adorable illustrations will delight fans of hot dogs. Certain illustrations, including pumpkin, ice cream, and shark, will be easily identifiable by children; others, such as hairy, hairless, or green, will be less clear, especially for the target audience. As far as a story goes, there's not much here, but those waiting to craft a story time around costumes will find a suitable addition in this board book. VERDICT An additional purchase for most libraries.--Shana Shea

A Halloween-loving hot dog dons a number of costumes leading up to the holiday in this comic concept board book. After an opening rhyme sets the scene ("Weenie/ loves Halloween,/ but try as they might,/ they can't decide/ what to be/ on this night"), Vernon amuses with contrasting choices as the lean frankfurter mulls various pairings: "hairless" earthworm or "hairy" Sasquatch? "Shark" or bikini-clad "swimmer?" "Yellow" banana or "green" Frankenstein's monster? Smudgy painterly renderings depict the frank posing against flatly colored pages. With stick legs, googly eyes, and a variety of facial expressions, Weenie's a silly sight in just about every getup. Uncertain until the end, the sausage finally arrives at a goofy solution that feels expansively creative, wishing a "Happy Halloweenie!" Ages 1-5. (July)