Happy Halloweenie

A Halloween-loving hot dog dons a number of costumes leading up to the holiday in this comic concept board book. After an opening rhyme sets the scene (“Weenie/ loves Halloween,/ but try as they might,/ they can’t decide/ what to be/ on this night”), Vernon amuses with contrasting choices as the lean frankfurter mulls various pairings: “hairless” earthworm or “hairy” Sasquatch? “Shark” or bikini-clad “swimmer?” “Yellow” banana or “green” Frankenstein’s monster? Smudgy painterly renderings depict the frank posing against flatly colored pages. With stick legs, googly eyes, and a variety of facial expressions, Weenie’s a silly sight in just about every getup. Uncertain until the end, the sausage finally arrives at a goofy solution that feels expansively creative, wishing a “Happy Halloweenie!” Ages 1–5. (July)