Pizza Day

August 1, 2017
In a summertime parallel to Iwai's warmhearted Soup Day (2010), while mother is at work, a father and child spend the day making pizza using homegrown vegetables and homemade dough.As mother leaves for the day, the young narrator announces "Today is pizza day." Caesar, a Bernese mountain dog puppy, and the child will help Daddy in the garden to harvest ripe tomatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, and basil from their spring planting. Each step in the process is explained, from washing and cutting vegetables, through making dough and letting it rise, creating a sauce, and finally to assembling the pizza for baking. This outing highlights the father-child relationship, as the day unfolds with lots of outdoor playtime while waiting for the dough to rise, the sauce to simmer, and the final product to bake. Acrylics, collage, and digital art place red ripe tomatoes and other garden favorites in bold colors against verdant backyard scenes. From start to finish, this is a satisfying overview of one model of where and how food is acquired and created, from garden to table to the first delicious cheesy bite. More importantly, the affection and parent-child companionship are underscored as work and play culminate in a picnic backyard supper with mother's freshly made salad to accompany the pizza. The father has olive skin and black hair, while mother and child have fair skin and blonde and red hair, respectively, suggesting a multiracial family. A detailed recipe follows. Yummy! (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-The farm-to-table movement has swept the U.S., and everyone, whether they've spent time tending their garden and eating its bounty or not, will relate to this charming story about a young boy and his family on the day they harvest their tomatoes, basil, carrots, onions, and peppers and make a pizza from scratch. The story captures all the stages of making pizza-from preparing the dough and the sauce to assembling and baking the pizza. A recipe for "Garden Pizza" is included at the back. The color red is used liberally throughout, rendering vibrant illustrations that are happy and bright. They perfectly depict the exuberance of the boy and his father while they are cooking, and their enjoyment when playing outside in the backyard with their dog while waiting for the dough to rise and the sauce to simmer. Not only does the story capture the pleasures of growing, harvesting, and eating homegrown food, it also celebrates a slower pace of life where a father and his son have the time to cook and play together without a barrage of obligations. The family's mother returns from work to join in the backyard picnic at the end, and readers can almost taste the delectable meal they are savoring. A wonderful summertime companion to Iwai's Soup Day about a mother and daughter preparing soup in the wintertime. VERDICT A delightful and delicious story that will be enjoyed by all.- Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.