The Hallo-wiener [Hardcover]

Dav Pilkey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1995 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Humiliated by his hot-dog Halloween costume, Oscar the dachshund endures ridicule from his canine friends and eventually proves that while he may be short on height, he is long on heart.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Costumed by his mother as a hot dog with bun, Oscar the dachshund goes from hangdog to top dog in what PW's starred review called a "pun-o-rama." Ages 4-7. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Oscar is a dachshund who is "...half-a-dog tall and one-and-a-half dogs long." All the other neighborhood dogs-a motley crew of meanies-make fun of him. His mother doesn't help matters any, showering him publicly with endearments that refer invariably to sausage. What Oscar wants more than anything is to be something scary for Halloween, but when he rushes home from obedience school his mother surprises him with a costume that's exactly the opposite of what he had in mind-"...a giant hot-dog bun, complete with mustard." He gives his mom a kiss, but the look on his face is pure pain. Poor Oscar! Slowed down by his silly costume, he trails behind his pack of greedy peers, who snarf up all the treats at each house before he has a chance to grab any. But Oscar is truly a good dog-when two cats disguised as a monster chase his pals into the lake, he swims to their rescue and finally earns their appreciation. Pilkey's vibrant, cartoonstyle illustrations include tons of hilarious touches-Oscar's mother has crazy human lipstick lips painted on her muzzle; his teacher has a milkbone on his desk instead of an apple (and the lesson of the day is SIT-STAY); and the two ornery felines can often be seen laughing at the canines from their unique vantage point. This may be the funniest Halloween story ever written, and it's definitely got the most lovable hero.
Vanessa Elder, School Library Journal
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Blue Sky Press; First Edition edition (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590417037
• ISBN-13: 978-0590417037
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #932,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Considered one of the most popular contemporary authors for readers in elementary school, (Dav Pilkey) is also regarded as a talented artist and inventive humorist as well as a subtle moralist. ...He underscores his works--even at their most outrageous--with a philosophy that emphasizes friendship, tolerance, and generosity and celebrates the triumph of the good-hearted."

-The Educational Book & Media Association

Dav Pilkey is the Caldecott Honor Award-winning author and illustrator of more than 40 books for children. Check out his award-winning website at www.Pilkey.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely hilarious!, November 18, 2001

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hallo-wiener (Paperback)

Oscar is a young dog with a problem. Being a "wiener-dog," he looks different from all of the other dogs in obedience school, and consequently the others like to make fun of him. His mother doesn't help matters when she calls him her "little Vienna sausage." And worse, when Halloween rolls around she expresses complete lack of understanding when she buys him his ultimate nightmare of a costume. However, this short-legged dog has a big heart, and when the chips are down the other dogs get to learn just what Oscar is made of!

This book is absolutely hilarious! The story is funny and educational. The text was not challenging for my eight-year-old son, but he is on the extreme range of the recommended level. However, he did love the story, and read it through three times in the first sitting! So, we both highly recommend this book.

Please be sure to watch the cats in this dog book, they come close to stealing the show!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Halloween Crack-up!, November 26, 2001

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hallo-wiener (Paperback)

It doesn't matter how many children I read this to, it always cracks me up. I mean, when you read about a dachshund named Oscar, you know you're on a roll...hey, was that a pun? This story has lots of wordplay. It's a Halloween tale, or is that tail, about a well-loved dachshund kid whose mother dresses him up in a costume that gets him ridiculed by the other dog kids. His trick-or-treat adventures will have you howling with laughter and in the end everybody including poor Oscar likes his silly costume. The cartoon-like illustrations are clever and subtle so make sure you and your youngsters take time to enjoy them and please check out the classroom scene...it's a scream. This book is so much fun with its bright colors and zany text you just can't help but love it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty fun for playful souls, November 18, 2002

By 

Patrick M. Rodgers (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hallo-wiener (Paperback)

I don't have kids and I'm well beyond the target age group for this book. I do think sausage dogs are adorable, though, and thus received this as a Halloween present.

The illustrations are cute, the story is fun, and the puns are hilarious. The sausage dog is named, of course, Oscar; scrutinizing the family mailbox reveals their last name to be Meyer. When Oscar shows up in his Halloween costume (a hot dog on a bun), the book remarks that he looked "quite frank."

A few minutes of laughing and a smile on your face for six bucks? Can't beat that!