About this book
A fresh and funny contemporary YA rom-com about teens working as costumed characters in a local amusement park. Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way: She's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland . . . as a giant dancing hot dog. Her crush, the dreamy diving pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the princess of the park. But Lou's never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after. Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, has always been up for anything, but she's decidedly not on board when it comes to Lou's quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou's scheme to get close to Nick. And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland—ever—unless she can find a way to stop it from closing. Jennifer Dugan's sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love—and themselves—in unexpected people and unforgettable places.
Censorship history
In 2024, "Hot Dog Girl" by Jennifer Dugan faced bans at the school level in various districts across the United States due to its LGBTQ+ content. Notably, in several states, including Texas and Florida, school boards voted to remove the book from libraries and curricula following formal complaints from parents and advocacy groups opposing its themes. These actions reflect a growing trend of challenges against LGBTQ+ literature in educational settings, often led by local parent-teacher associations and conservative organizations. The bans have sparked ongoing debates about censorship and the appropriateness of diverse representation in young adult literature.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2024 | LGBTQ+ |