Hotter Than a Hot Dog!

What a delightful story! A young girl tells of the day that it was so hot that she felt "hotter than a turkey in the oven." After getting her granddaughter to stop trotting around like a turkey, Granny makes the surpise decision that they are going to take the train to the beach. Most of the day is spent together: digging in the sand, splashing in the water, collecting seashells, eating ice cream and sharing stories. After building sand castles until the sun starts setting and the rest of the kids have left the beach, Granny and granddaughter share some quiet time together on the beach as the waves come in to peacefully wash the castle away. Turning home, the evening air has cooled and waits to greet them as they finally return home. This is a lovely book for grandmothers and granddaughters to share with each other. Elivia's illustrations watercolor illustrations are colorful and expressive.

I am a third grade teacher always looking for text to share with my students that will improve their writing skills. Hotter Than a Hot Dog! is packed with metephors, similies, descriptives, and action verbs that any child can understand. It is a good way to get children excited about writing and an excellent example to encourage students to include details that will make them better writers!