In Every Night is Pizza Night we have our friend, Pipo, who only eats pizza. Her parents (particularly her father) would like a grapefruit or (particularly her mother) a chicken dish. But Pipo only wants the best and that is pizza. Of course, she soon realizes that (in the name of science) she will have to try other foods to make sure. And of course, she tries them, likes them, and learns that there can be several “the bests.” There are also instructions on how to make the pizza Pipo makes for the end of the book surprise.
Kenji Lopez-Alt and Gianna Ruggiero created a colorful, pizza, quirky and spunky book. The heroine Pipo is like many picky eaters. The modern tone makes this not a “100 percent I am in love” book, but it is a very strong 4.5 rating. I liked the humor, the pacing, and the idea of Pipo does not want or need new foods, but she will try them. (This makes me think of two nephew stories and having him try new foods. The first was that grandma told him he had to try everything he took at the Chinese buffet and the second was he asked me if I wanted to try the berry jelly he had at home. When I said, no thank you, he told me “Just try it Aunt Jae.”)
Back to our gal, Pipo. She is someone you know, have known, were or possibly are. The ending is fun and a nice way to show community and food. The questions she asks about what and why makes a food the best, and how can they all be the best, will allow you and your child to have conversations about why their best is the best.
NOTE: I wrote the below review before I heard about the riots. I want to present this review as it was before I had my feelings of the recent events. Before I knew that my cousin’s son was working (though in Virginia) someplace near Washington DC. Before I knew my cousin was hearing gunshots and racial slurs outside her apartment. Before she started playing phone tag to make sure her friends were safe. Before I became sick to my stomach at the horrors we keep seeing.
should always be talking about voting and civics with younger people. And of course, adults too! This past year I noticed that campaign ads seemed to be out earlier and often. I was getting bombarded with so many, I was not sure which were for my state or the one either side of us (we are positioned so three states worth of politics can be found). Plus, I know that as a two-year-term governor state, our elected officials start campaigns for the next election cycle practically before the votes are counted for the current one. And I know that as a kid, I did not have civics classes. Then when I spoke with people who assumed I had a civics background; I was shown to be less then educated.
Just too darn cute! Read it!
Going to a shelf and randomly grabbing something off it can be fun. You never know what you will find. But if you are in the mood for finding something a bit easier, displays in bookstores are great. This is how I located Red Shoes by Karen English and illustrated by Ebony Glenn.
It Began with a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Julie Morstad is a different picture book. It is a picture book about someone who fought not only to be seen themselves, but for others to be seen too. In the 1920’s Gyo Fujikawa did what few women and even fewer Japanese people did: she went to college. She did what few people in the 1960’s did: she put pictures of all races of babies on the same page in a book. She was a trailblazer before it was “cool.” Gyo Fujikawa’s life comes alive in this picture book biography (an afterwards expands on the historical information of her life).
Current events have made people want books on race, being open and being different. Two books that are going to be big sellers from these categories are Kristen Bell’s The World Needs More Purple People and You Matter by Christian Robinson.
deals with snot…. This is a book that shows diversity with a child’s innocence and humor, but not is not childish. The colors and art also show this theme. They are happy, bright, flashy, use of modern technology making them “clean.”