Pete's a Pizza
- Book Review,
by William Steig
From Publishers Weekly
Mr. Steig (The Toy Brother) introduces a game guaranteed to produce a good mood. On a rainy day, title character Pete flops down on the couch in an attitude of despair. His father notices, and "he thinks it might cheer Pete up to be made into a pizza." Pete allows himself to be carried into the kitchen, where he is kneaded and tossed like dough. "Next, some oil is generously applied. (It's really water.)... And then some tomatoes. (They're really checkers.)" Pizza-Pete bakes on the couch, (a.k.a. the pizza oven), but when it's time to cut slices (with a karate-chop gesture), "the pizza runs away and the pizza-maker chases him." Steig evidently has played pizza before. He substitutes talcum powder for flour and paper scraps for mozzarella; he notes that pizzas struggle when tickled. The text resembles a set of directions, with each step wryly presented as a concise sentence and plainly printed in sans serif capital letters. In keeping with his story's simplicity, Steig creates compact line drawings that are detailed with wild watercolor patterns but symmetrically placed in a spacious white background. The amiable quality of Steig's easy pizza recipe will amuse chef and entree alike. All ages. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-When Pete is in an especially bad mood because it is raining and he can't play ball with his friends, his father decides that it might cheer his son up "to be made into a pizza." The boy is placed on the kitchen table where he is kneaded, tossed, and covered with various toppings including oil (water), tomatoes (checkers), and cheese (pieces of paper). His mother comments that she doesn't like tomatoes, eliciting some giggles from Pete. He is then placed in the oven (the couch) and eventually returned to the table to be sliced. At this juncture, he runs away and is pursued by his father who captures and hugs him. By now the sun is shining and Pete goes outside to look for his friends. The interplay between father and son is both entertaining and endearing. The man says, after tickling Pete, "Pizzas are not supposed to laugh!" and Pete responds, "Pizza-makers are not supposed to tickle their pizzas!" Steig's spare line drawings and zany watercolor paintings are centered against a large white background. The wry text is printed in all capital letters, making it look almost like a recipe. From its tongue-tantalizing title to its understated but delightful ending, Pete's a Pizza is a tour de force.Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WICopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
The New York Times Book Review, Signe Wilkinson
...Pete's a Pizza is a joyful little story. America will be a better place if the Steig family pizza party catches on.
From Parents' Choice®
When Pete, a boy of six or so, sulks because "it decides to rain" just when he's supposed to play ball with the buys, his father improvises a most unexpected way to cheer his son up: he decides to make Pete into a pizza. Yes, that's right - a pizza. In a lesser artist's hands, such an antic notion might have fallen flat. But we are more than willing to suspend our disbelieve, as we watch Steig's two solid, earthbound parents join in the make-believe kneading, stretching, twisting in the air and, finally, baking of Pete into a pizza. As he joins in the fun, Pete grows increasingly cheerful, and before the unlikely pizza can be eaten, the sun comes out, and a cheery hero goes outside to meet his pals. A literal-minded child may be non-plussed by this Steig souffle of a picture book, but lots of kids will love this nonsensical tale.
From AudioFile
[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE, PICKLES FROM PITTSBURGH, THE RELATIVES CAME, and CHATO'S KITCHEN.]--Special relationships between characters are the stuff of engaging stories. Each character becomes a vivid part of the listener's imagination. In THE RELATIVES CAME, the annual summer trip is fondly remembered. Similar car trips, greetings, spreads of food and conversation, and bulging houses will spring to mind. The relaxed pace of this recording provides the time to savor these memories. In PICKLES TO PITTSBURGH, Judi Barrett revisits the wonderful world of Chewandswallow, featuring immense foodstuffs, and from this world distinct characters emerge. Listeners will appreciate the interplay of Grandpa's adventure with Kate's dream and the relationships of the fantastic foods. In PETE'S A PIZZA, Pete is in a terrible state, and it is his father who has the wisdom to humor him back to his usual self by making Pete into a pizza pie. The giggles of Pete and the listeners increase as Pete is kneaded, stretched, spread, baked, and (almost) sliced. Food is also center stage in CHATO'S KITCHEN. In hospitable fashion, Chato invites his new neighbors to dinner. Dreaming of a mouse feast, Chato and his cat buddy think up and stir up a delicious meal with Spanish flavor, only to be greeted at the door by the mice and their special guest. The twist in the anticipated outcome and the deep richness of Chato's voice are memorable. While special treats baked for school are a part of the story, it is the interaction of Lilly with her teacher that is central and poignant in LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE. Their days have ups and downs in typical childlike mode as only Kevin Henkes can portray. Will Lilly weather the humiliation when Mr. Slinger takes (just for the day) her prized new possession? In this recording Lilly is enjoyably squeaky, and Mr. Slinger is kindly authoritative and wise. Background voices are used effectively to interject the "bubble stories" from the text. While listening to this collection of stories is a distinct pleasure, the illustrations help to make the experience memorable. Listen, look, and enjoy! A.R. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
From Booklist
Ages 3^-5. Steig recalls a game he played long ago with his youngest daughter, turning it into one of the most joyously appealing picture books he's done in recent years. "Pete's in a bad mood. Just when he's supposed to play ball with the guys, it decides to rain." Enter Pete's parents, who cheer him up by pretending to turn him into a pizza. As Mother looks on, Pete is kneaded, tossed in the air, and sprinkled with flour (talcum powder) by his father, who joins his son in growing ever more delighted by the inspired goofiness and abandon of the game. Steig's watercolor-and-ink-line illustrations, set against spacious, bright white backgrounds, are alive with pattern but sparingly detailed, making the action of the characters the sole focus of attention. Father and Mother (with tightly curled hair and flower-print dress and choker) look more like Pete's grandparents than like his parents, but that will cause only momentary pause in the excellent fun. It's no stretch to imagine little ones begging for their own special "pizza parties." Stephanie Zvirin
From Kirkus Reviews
Steig (Toby, Where Are You?, 1997, etc.), inspired by a game he used to play with his daughter, turns a rainy day into a pizza party, starring a caring father and his feeling-blue son, Pete. Just when Pete was set to go play ball with his friends, it starts to rain. His melancholy is not lost on his father: ``He thinks it might cheer Pete up to be made into a pizza.'' Which is just what the father proceeds to do. Pete is transported to the kitchen table where he is kneaded and stretched, tossed into the air for shaping, sprinkled with oil and flour and tomatoes and cheese (water, talcum, checkers, and bits of paper). He then gets baked on the living room couch and tickled and chased until the sun comes out and it is time to speed outside, a pizza no more, but happy. What leaps from the page, with a dancer's grace, is the warmth and imagination wrapped in an act of kindness and tuned- in parenting. As always, Steig's illustrations are a naturalan organicpart of the story, whether Pete's a pizza, or not. (Picture book. 5-10) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Book Description
Pete's father starts kneading the dough. Next, some oil is generously applied. (Its really water.) And then some tomatoes. (They're really checkers.) When the dough gets tickled, it laughs like crazy.
Card catalog description
When Pete feels miserable because rain makes it impossible to play ball outdoors, his father finds a fun indoor game to play with his son.
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