Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book

by Stephanie Calmenson, Zoe Persico (Illustrator)

A lively stream of dachshunds, cleverly dressed as hot dogs, dinosaurs, birds, bees, books and more, parade across the pages until 78 dachshunds and tons of townspeople join together for Dachshund Day fun. A sing-along, bark-along dachshund song celebrates this beloved breed. Back matter highlights the different sizes, coats and colors, and introduces the author's own adorable dachshund, Harry.

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Counting, Animals, Childrens, Mathematics, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

Published June 29, 2021

About the author

Stephanie Calmenson's many popular titles include concept books, funny school stories, poetry collections, books about dogs and, with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole, anthologies and beginning reader chapter books.

Stephanie's books have been called "marvelous" (PW), "lyrical" (SLJ), "hilarious" (SLJ), "sweet, funny, and right on the mark" (Booklist).

Before turning to writing, Stephanie was a teacher, a children's book editor, and Editorial Director of Parents Magazine's Read-Aloud Book Club.

Website: my link text

Reviews

[Matal “The Mischling Princess” Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book” focuses on Stephanie Calmenson’s favorite dogs—dachshunds. The author uses both the dogs and rhymes throughout the PB to help children count up to 12.

The illustrator, Zoe Persico, did an excellent job of incorporating ethnic diversity in the story, along with featuring a disabled child. At the end of the book, the author incorporated a “We Love Dachsunds!” section where kids can see the various patterns, sizes, colors, and coat types for the dogs. This is where the illustrator Persico really shined. The author also included a “Meet the Dachsund” page where a photograph of her dog is included; I had absolutely no idea that NYC had a Dachsund Festival!

Anyone that loves this breed of dogs will likely fall in love with this PB. And although I am fond of this breed, this isn’t a book that I would normally pick up for a young reader. That is not to say that children wouldn’t like and appreciate this book, though; I just prefer one with a bit more substance.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A counting story for dog people. Kids who like counting stories and dogs will love this!

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dozens of Dachshunds is a fun counting book for kids that shows off 78 adorable wiener dogs on a fun day celebrating their breed. There's diversity in the dogs and humans (including some human and canine wheelchair users) and lots of great costumes on the dogs. I especially like the pups dressed as their favourite books.

The end matter illustrates the different varieties of dachshund coats, sizes, and colours. Instead of an author bio, we're introduced to the author's dachshund, Harry.

This is really cute, and would be a great addition to a library of counting books. Dog lovers (and dachshund lovers in particular) will bark for joy!

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My youngest smiled all the way through. It is fun and exciting and I appreciate the diversity shown among the people at the festival. I really enjoyed the final pages which show the variety dachshunds with different types of coats, sizes, and colors -- I never knew there were so many!

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves every children's book award.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this when it came into the library, so cute and I love the reference to all types of dachsunds.

[Christine Zandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book opens with a great scene: we're asked where these dachshunds are all going. As the story progresses, we see them dressed in various kinds of adorable outfits and the suspense builds until the mystery is solved at the end--no, I won't tell you their destination!

Rhyming couplets bring the story to life. This book will appeal to animal lovers and anyone who's had a dog because it's so easy to relate to the joy of being a pet owner.

The art adds so much color and fun. My favorite spread is where the dachshunds are "fearless and brave" and shown in their superhero outfits!

To aid readers, we're told the way to say it is "DOX-hund," and the factual back matter provides an overview of various dachshund facts along with a side-by-side look at how they range in size and in the color or texture of their coats.

Overall, a fun, well-done rhyming book that's an uplifting r

[The Library Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calmenson is a good writer and the art is fun. I'm just not into dachshunds myself. On the other hand, if you are, I highly recommend an old favorite, Pretzel, by "Curious George" author
Margret Rey.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO CUTE! As a person who has a little dachshund of my own, I truly could not have enjoyed this book more. The story is simple but fun! Dachshunds dressed up in costumes and counting? Sign me up! When I have my own kids some day, this is a book I’ll surely read with them over and over!

This is a book I’ll treasure for many years to come!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

great counting to ten book with rhyming text and active, exciting illustrations

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book so much! Love that it even tells how to pronounce dachshund before the real story even starts!

[Noodlenuts Kids Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I passed my 50th birthday quite a while ago now, and wow does it feel strange! Half a century of life experience, and yet sometimes I still feel like I relate better to the preschoolers I know than to fellow adults. 😂

And that's sort of what I want to write about today ...

Because really thinking about what it means to be over 50, I've realised that one of the things I'm most incredibly grateful for is still being able to see the world from a child's-eye view.

I'm so grateful to help adults connect with kids over books, and even more grateful every single time I connect with that childlike part of myself, and with the kids in my life.

And in honour of that, I want to recommend the spectacular "Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book" (2021).

An utterly fabulous, rhyming read-aloud, "Dozens of Dachshunds" - inspired by the author's own Doxie - is everything you could want in a counting book.

It's a literal parade of adorable weiner dogs, complete with costumes, in the most gorgeously colourful illustrations. The language is wonderful, with lots of new adjectives for kids to learn, from "dazzling" to "dashing". There is multi-species diversity, with both people AND dogs using mobility aids! The whole thing is a joy from start to finish, and I'm looking forward to reading more from both author and illustrator.

[A Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not like this book as much as the poodle book by the same author. As with the poodle book, each page has two lines of text and the lines rhyme. The dachshunds in this book are in costume and counted. For example, there are three dogs dressed as ice cream, six dogs dressed as bees, and ten dogs dressed as superheroes. However, it seems to me that Calmenson was short on creativity when writing this book because the first dog is wearing a top hat with their suit and is described as "all dressed up" while there are eight "stylish" dachshunds "in all kinds of hats" later in the book which felt too similar in my opinion to the first dog. I did like Calmenson's examples of different dachshund coats, color combinations, and patterns in the back of the book. This book might work for your family if you have a child who loves counting, costumes, everything dogs, and/or specifically dachshunds.

[Meagan Myhren-Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dozens of Dachshunds
A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book
By Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrated by Zoe Persico

This is a fun book that helps introduce counting skills to young readers. And what better way to do that in Doreen and Duncan's opinion than with Dachshunds.

The illustrations are colorful and attention-grabbing so no lost readers as you work your way through this lively and frisky parade of dogs.

This is an 8-Paws reviewed book, in the opinion of our reviewers Doreen and Duncan (of Storytime with Doreen and Duncan) who each gave it 4-paws. Now I will admit Doreen and Duncan were more interested in the Dachshund pictures than the actual educational value of the book but educational opportunities can be subtly introduced to young readers through fun and entertaining books.

This book was checked out from our local library.

[Susan]

As a dachshund parent myself, I loved the premise of this book and how it celebrates a wide variety of dachshunds. The illustrations are colorful and inclusive. That said, the meter seemed inconsistent in a few places, which I found a little distracting, especially if I were doing a read-aloud. That said, dog lovers of all ages may find this book charming and joyful.

(I won a free copy of this book via the Picture Book Builders blog.)

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely delightful and would be perfect for a dog-themed story time. There's the perfect amount of text for the intended age group and with each page the outfits for the dogs just get cuter and cuter. I think my favorites are the bumblebees and the open books but they are all so adorable.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute counting book for dog lovers alike, especially those who love "dox-hunds" such as my husband. These silly dogs dressed up in costumes for their special "Dachshund Day" celebration. The super hero dogs were my fave <3 Good story to read along with your toddler/preschooler and practice little ones counting skills.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this was in the new book section of the library which is always our first stop. Apparently, Dachshund parades are a real thing!? Who knew!? The illustrations in this one were gorgeous, it was also a good rhyming book which I appreciate and short! Definitely appropriate for the 4+ crowd. Overall, 4/5 stars ⭐️

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Bloomsbury Books for the digital arc of this book to read. It was a cute counting book featuring dachshunds. I liked that it included some information about dachshunds in the back of the book.

[Charlotte Offsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daschunds parade through the pages of this brand new picture book in different costumes. The fun builds as more and more Dachsunds join the celebration. A wonderful rhyming read-aloud with adorable illustrations to pour-over.

[Lacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Showed up (picked up at the library) for the dachshunds. Left slightly disappointed. There's no real plot to this picture book. It would be a cute gift for a dachshund lover or a fun read for storytime for a child who likes dogs.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a costume dog parade! Can you count the dogs as they come by in their delightful costumes? Dozens of Dachshunds is a rhyming and counting delight filled with adorable illustrations and Dachshund highlights.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the diversity in the illustrations - disability representation for people and dachshunds! Not a 5 star book because the rhythm of some of the lines feels a bit clumsy to me. Still, a good storytime candidate. And the perfect gift for the dachshund lover in your life, of course.

[Nadina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was cute and simple and fun. I liked the rhyming aspect, the illustrations were cute and fun. There wasn't much text on each page so it made it feel accessible to young kids. I feel like it would be a fun storytime book.

[Jannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've heard of corgi beach day, get ready for dachshund park day! A delightful book featuring long-bodied, short-legged friends as they put on their fanciest outfits and join their friends for a festive day out. Absolutely delightful!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has counting, it has dogs in costumes, it has rhymes, it has fun crowd scenes, it has an explanation of how to say the word "dachshunds"..what else could you want in a kids book about dachshunds?

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great for practicing counting and rhyming. The illustrations are cute. The only part I didn't care for were the scenes where balloons were being released. We chatted with our kids about how bad that is for the environment and can be deadly to animals.

[Ksenia]

Adorable! Oh gosh! The rhyming and all those cute dachshunds, oh gosh! What a fun read!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book. Can't wait to feature it at storytime!

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful, charming, and offering plenty to enjoy on repeated readings. The simple spread in back matter makes clear that dachshunds are much more than little brown hot dogs on legs!