The Hallo-Wiener

Oscar, the lone dachshund in the neighborhood, gets teased about his size and shape by the other dogs. 

"Weiner dog! Weiner dog!" they shout. His mother's no help. When he's leaving for school, she affectionately calls out for all to hear, "Farewell, my little Vienna sausage!"

For Halloween, Oscar's mother surprises him with a costume—a hot dog bun with mustard. Poor Oscar wanted to look scary but ends up feeling silly. On Halloween night, he's left trailing after the others with an empty treat basket. The tables are turned when a scary monster frightens the bullies and Oscar comes to… show more.

This book may be about dogs at Halloween, but completely relatable if you’ve ever been embarrassed or longed to be part of the crowd.

Little Oscar, a “wiener dog,” is embarrassed daily him daily when his mom sends him off to school with her loving goodbyes. Hoping to be able to finally impress the other dogs with an amazing Halloween costume, Oscar’s dreams are crushed when his mother shows him the costume she has made, which sandwiches him between two giant bun halves and turns him into a frankfurter. Humiliated, he follows behind the other trick-or-treaters, only to find the… show more.

This book is laugh-out-loud funny and also sweet, featuring a cast of canines, which dog lovers will appreciate. Oscar is a Dachshund – “half-a-dog tall and one-and-a-half dogs long.” His last name is Myer, as shown on the mailbox in the illustrations. This is just one example of the humor and clever wordplay throughout the story. Poor Oscar is often ridiculed by his pals and classmates. That Halloween, he faces even more humiliation when his Mom surprises him with a comical costume. Oh, the indignity! But, not to worry – all is well in the end. The art matches the… show more.