Review by Booklist Review
Ages 3-7. This flight of fantasy will appeal to little kids' sense of the ridiculous. Vivian and her mother are waiting for the Pizza Man, but Vivian's impatience leads to a game. Vivian will say, "Hi, Pizza Man," when he arrives. But what if there's a Pizza Woman on the other side of the door? Or a Pizza Kitty or a Pizza Duck or even a Pizza Dino? What will Vivian say then? Each two-page spread features ink-and-acrylic wash artwork that boldly introduces a marvelous menagerie, including a duck sporting a turban and jewelry and a bow-tie-bedecked snake. How Vivian will greet her odd assortment of pizza bringers allows readers to woof, moo, hiss, and quack along with her. On target for the age-group, who will enjoy the noisy fun alone or in groups. (Reviewed January 15, 1995)0531068854Ilene Cooper
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's easy to work up an appetite reading this book, which offers an agreeable way to pass the time before dinner. When Vivian tosses her toys aside to announce, ``I'm hungry!'' her mother reminds her that the pizza man is a-coming, and distracts her by asking how she will greet him. The title holds an obvious answer, but Vivian's mother imagines other possibilities-``What if it's a pizza kitty? Then what will you say?'' This prompts Vivian to welcome a parade of imagined pizza-deliverers with ``Meow meow, pizza kitty!''; ``Woof woof, pizza dog!'' and so on until the doorbell rings. First-time children's author Walter's waiting game grows more entertaining when the animals arrive; it's tempting to say hello with moos, hisses and quacks. Likewise, Goembel's (A Basket Full of White Eggs) mom's-eye views of Vivian appear realistic but slightly awkward, while her lifelike ink-and-acrylic animals, framed by a doorway, are considerably more engaging. The final illustration, of a partly eaten slice of cheese and pepperoni pie, looks particularly authentic-readers' thoughts, like Vivian's, will likely turn from pizza beasts to a pizza feast. Ages 2-4. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1To pass the time while waiting for a pizza delivery, Vivian's mother asks her what she will say when it arrives. That's easy enough: "`Hi, Pizza Man!'" But what if it's a pizza woman? Things get silly as the child's mother suggests ever-more improbable delivery charactersa cat, dog, duck, cow, snake, and dinosaur. Her daughter responds with "`Quack quack, Pizza Duck!'"; "`Roar, Pizza Dinosaur!'"; etc. Readers will be having so much fun that they may feel jarred back to reality and even a bit disappointed to see the most obvious of the options when the doorbell finally rings. However, the story will have wide appeal, from toddlers just learning animals' sounds to beginning readers who will grasp the zaniness of the situation. The realistic art has abundant whimsical details and invites close examination. The pizza woman wears a baseball cap and evening clothes, complete with a mink stole. The cow is truly exotic, with purple markings and a rose in her mouth, and the dinosaur is a thing of beauty, crowned with a feathered pillbox hat. The typography also sparks interest, with a different style and various sizes of lettering used for Vivian's greetings. A nice example of positive parent-child interaction and of the imagination needed to entertain a hungry preschooler, this story has the predictability to make it a great read-aloud.Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
It all begins with a simple question posed by a hungry toddler's mother: 'What will you say when the doorbell rings and we open the door?' asks Mom. 'Hi, Pizza Man!' replies the child. Then Mom poses a series of questions. 'What if it's not a pizza man? What if it's a pizza woman? . . . a pizza kitty? . . . a pizza duck? Then what will you say?' and the game rolls on. A funny, imaginative book, ideal for reading aloud. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
