With All Hallows' Eve right around the corner, I couldn't resist plucking this sweet piece of candy off of the shelf.
THREE PROS
*Teaching lessons are rewarded here at KBR; having the main character start by ignoring bully taunts, then aiding the bad guys in distress, while still having time to consider his parents' feelings, is a powerful trifecta that helps this book earn top marks
*If you read enough of my reviews, you'll see that I often try to match my wording to the theme of the book in question -- whether it's corny or not, I like how author Dav Pilkey snuck a bunch of canine-related verbs into The Hallo-Wiener
*If you read enough of my reviews, you'll see that I often try to match my wording to the theme of the book in question -- whether it's corny or not, I like how author Dav Pilkey snuck a bunch of canine-related verbs into The Hallo-Wiener
*Whether we are talking real world or literary world, the trick of putting a dachshund in a hot dog costume is a treat for the eyes
THREE CONS
THREE CONS
*I've always hated how the meanies in kids' stories never seem to face even the slightest revenge from the characters they tormented for so long (even though it's a poor lesson for kids) -- Pilkey doesn't buck this convention, opting instead for the standard "jerks start being nice to the good guy in the end and all is forgotten" routine
*The expression "putting lipstick on a pig" creeps me out whenever I think of the visual -- well, mama dachshund's makeup was equally as disturbing to me
*The joke of naming our star wiener dog Oscar Myers fits with the rest of the humor in the book, but its small degree of difficulty made it roughly as appetizing as a slice of olive loaf
ONE DAD'S OPINION
It is pretty obvious that I don't have any real big issues with this story. My biggest gripe (bully justice) is almost impossible to execute in a work designed for people under 4 feet tall, so don't put too much weight in what I've said in con #1. Here's what matters: while TH-W takes place on Halloween, it's just as readable on May Day. In short, there's no disguising that this is a solid book on all fronts (text, art, length, message). Don't be scared -- ghoul out and Buy it.
*The joke of naming our star wiener dog Oscar Myers fits with the rest of the humor in the book, but its small degree of difficulty made it roughly as appetizing as a slice of olive loaf
ONE DAD'S OPINION
It is pretty obvious that I don't have any real big issues with this story. My biggest gripe (bully justice) is almost impossible to execute in a work designed for people under 4 feet tall, so don't put too much weight in what I've said in con #1. Here's what matters: while TH-W takes place on Halloween, it's just as readable on May Day. In short, there's no disguising that this is a solid book on all fronts (text, art, length, message). Don't be scared -- ghoul out and Buy it.
BUY / Borrow / Donate / Destroy
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