Review of Pete's A Pizza
by Caleb Powell (with a little help from Mommy and Daddy)

Note: Caleb Powell's reviews have become so popular that he has been asked to write 2 reviews for the July edition of Tidewater Parent, a Virginia parenting publication. Congratulations, Caleb!!

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Pete's A Pizza by William Steig is about a boy named Pete who wants to go outside to play ball with his friends but cannot because it's raining. Pete's dad cannot stand to see Pete looking so sad and decides to turn him into a pizza to make him laugh.

First, Pete's dad, the pizza-maker, pretends to turn Pete into dough. He lays Pete on a table and puts oil (really water) and flour (really talcum powder) on him. When Pete (the dough) gets tossed up in the air, Pete smiles. Pete's dad then puts tomatoes (really checkers) on the dough, and when Pete hears his mother say that she doesn't like tomatoes on her pizza, he can't hold back his giggle. He also laughs a lot when the dough gets tickled by his mom.

Once cheese (really paper) gets put on the pizza, it goes into the oven (really on the couch). When it is ready to be sliced, the pizza runs away from the pizza-maker but gets chased, caught and hugged until Pete's mom notices that the sun has come out. Then, Pete the Pizza carries a football outside as he goes to look for his friends.

My favorite part of this book is when Pete, the dough, gets twirled in the air and when the pizza gets chased. After reading the book, my parents turned me into a pizza, too. That was a lot of fun. You've got to tell your parents to turn you into a pizza, too -- especially on a day you're feeling sad!

Things you'll need to get turned into a pizza!

~ An adult
~ A table for you to lay on so your parent(s) can turn you into dough
~ Water (For the Oil)
~ Talcum Powder (For the Flour)
~ Checkers or little red blocks (For the Tomatoes)
~ Paper (For the Cheese)
~ A couch (For the oven)



Caleb is a 6-year-old kindergartner who loves to collect and build Bionicles, count money, and play "Monopoly Junior". He enjoys the outdoors and welcomes every opportunity to play outside with his friends. His mom, who is his number-one soccer fan, says that he is doing great in sports and school!




jJuly 1, 2002