Hot Dog!; Anh Do, illustrated by Dan McGuiness

Hot Dog is the first in a series of adventures and escapades about a fun-loving sausage dog.

Hotdog has his struggles in life…tying his shoelaces, playing guitar and competing in races. But the one thing he can do better than most is sniff out a solution to a problem and a problem is exactly what he and his friends Lizzie the lizard and Kevin the cat have. Their exciting day of kite-flying has been interrupted by little Birdy who has fallen out of his nest and is in desperate need of finding his mother. Ever the helpful canine, Hotdog determines that they should help little Birdy. But baby-sitting a bird and trying to reunite him with his mother is much harder than any of them imagined…

A dog with a blocked nose, a chameleon that is afraid of heights, an over-weight, lazy cat that is dressed up as a cow and a Birdy without a nest make for the perfect combination in this hilarious story. Ideally suited for newly independent readers with its simple language and phrasing and plethora of illustrations that are filled with humour and fun and are presented in black and white with flashes of neon green - awesome!

There is never a dull moment as Hotdog, Lizzie and Kevin venture through the fields, across the river, to the farm and then the beach as they try to reunite Birdy with his mother. With plenty of funny conversations between the friends and lots of amusing encounters with birds who are not the mother including a karate-chopping, tattooed rooster and a selfie-taking penguin, readers will do well not to be laughing-out-loud the entire time they are reading. In amongst the adventure and humour there are messages about friendship and persistence as the loveable Hotdog reminds readers to keep trying no matter what.

This is the kind of read that could grab the attention of a reluctant reader and spark a love of books. It certainly grabbed my attention and I will most definitely be searching out more adventures with Hotdog and his mates.

Recommended for 6+.