FROM THE PUBLISHER

It's too hot. Poor Amanda is all droopy like the plants in her father's garden,but this plucky little pig is determined to beat the heat somehow. With four funny chapters filled with adorable illustrations, this story will have readers giggling over Amanda's muggy-day woes and her quest to be cool.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

The four short stories featuring Amanda will ring true. In the first she is uncomfortably hot. Nothing seems to work to help her cool off--water, lemonade, and an ice pop all offer just a brief respite. She ends up sticky and hot. Dad finally comes up with a really cool solution. In the next story, Amanda stops off to visit Oliver and his friends. They are building a fort and no girls are allowed. In the meantime Amanda and her friend Lollipop have been sitting in the shade enjoying cool lemonade. The boys are hot and thirsty from their work and finally negotiate a deal with the girls. Then the girls decide that a lemonade stand on such a hot day should be a successful venture. Readers will not be surprised when they see that Amanda and Lollipop drink it all up and there is nothing left to sell. Fortunately, mother comes to the rescue. In the final story, the whole family is uncomfortably hot and cannot sleep. They head outdoors and wait for a cool breeze. Father tells a "cool" story and finally a breeze comes. These stories can be read individually or all in one sitting. Young readers will enjoy Amanda and her all-to-human characteristics. This is a level 2 book in the "Dial Easy-To-Read" series that features short sentences and simple dialogue. 2005, Dial/Penguin, Ages 4 to 8.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Two appealing easy readers. In Hotdog, a dachshund who is "a very good eater" competes to earn a spot in a television commercial for Doggy Yums, even though his favorite food is ice cream. After a series of mishaps at the studio, the pup is chosen to represent a new product, Doggy Yums ice cream. The simple illustrations painted in softly colored acrylics enliven this delightful story. Hot Day is divided into four interrelated stories that flow seamlessly together. As the Pig family swelters in the heat, Amanda and her father cool off with the garden hose; Oliver and his friends shun Amanda and Lollipop until they get thirsty; the girls set up a lemonade stand; and, finally, the entire family gathers outside to stargaze and listen to stories while waiting for a breeze. These amusing vignettes are accompanied by watercolor-and-pencil illustrations that charmingly portray a loving family and happy home. Both of these age-appropriate selections, written in clear, simple sentences, will be popular with young readers.-Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.