A tasty overview of a popular dish.
In this history of the finger or knife-and-fork food, a bespectacled rat takes readers back in time to ancient Greece and Persia (where some say the food may have originated) and then forward to 19th-century Naples and a chef named Raffaele Esposito, who “was famous for making the best pizza in Naples.” Pizzoli notes that King Umberto and Queen Margherita heard about the pizza on a visit to Naples and that, according to lore, the queen requested it—an image of Esposito riding a horse with pizza boxes tied to it offers a whimsical depiction of what Pizzoli dubs “the first pizza delivery.” Italian immigration to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the return of U.S. soldiers from Italy after World War II contributed to the widespread demand for the pies. Not content with the typical recipes, chefs all over the world have added toppings ranging from peas (Brazil) to fish (Russia) to coconuts (Costa Rica) to mayo jaga (Japan). The simple recipe for toaster oven–style minipizzas at the end of the book is child-friendly, starting with English muffins and adding mozzarella and tomatoes. Flavoring the concise yet fun narrative is the deliciously inspired palette dominated by red, green, and white that evokes both the Italian flag and pizza itself. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Budding cooks, dedicated eaters, and culinary historians will relish the presentation. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-425-29107-8
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Categories: CHILDREN'S HISTORY
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The Celebrate the World series spotlights Lunar New Year.
This board book blends expository text and first-person-plural narrative, introducing readers to the holiday. Chau’s distinctive, finely textured watercolor paintings add depth, transitioning smoothly from a grand cityscape to the dining room table, from fantasies of the past to dumplings of the present. The text attempts to provide a broad look at the subject, including other names for the celebration, related cosmology, and historical background, as well as a more-personal discussion of traditions and practices. Yet it’s never clear who the narrator is—while the narrative indicates the existence of some consistent, monolithic group who participates in specific rituals of celebration (“Before the new year celebrations begin, we clean our homes—and ourselves!”), the illustrations depict different people in every image. Indeed, observances of Lunar New Year are as diverse as the people who celebrate it, which neither the text nor the images—all of the people appear to be Asian—fully acknowledges. Also unclear is the book’s intended audience. With large blocks of explication on every spread, it is entirely unappealing for the board-book set, and the format may make it equally unattractive to an older, more appropriate audience. Still, readers may appreciate seeing an important celebration warmly and vibrantly portrayed.
Lovely illustrations wasted on this misguided project. (Board book. 4-8)Pub Date: Dec. 11, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3303-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S HISTORY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
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A remarkable tree stands where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once soared.
Through simple, tender text, readers learn the life-affirming story of a Callery pear tree that grew and today still flourishes “at the foot of the towers.” The author eloquently describes the pre-9/11 life of the “Survivor Tree” and its heartening, nearly decadelong journey to renewal following its recovery from the wreckage of the towers’ destruction. By tracking the tree’s journey through the natural cycle of seasonal changes and colors after it was found beneath “the blackened remains,” she tells how, after replanting and with loving care (at a nursery in the Bronx), the tree managed miraculously to flourish again. Retransplanted at the Sept. 11 memorial, it valiantly stands today, a symbol of new life and resilience. Hazy, delicate watercolor-and–colored pencil artwork powerfully traces the tree’s existence before and after the towers’ collapse; early pages include several snapshotlike insets capturing people enjoying the outdoors through the seasons. Scenes depicting the towers’ ruins are aptly somber yet hopeful, as they show the crushed tree still defiantly alive. The vivid changes that new seasons introduce are lovingly presented, reminding readers that life unceasingly renews itself. Many paintings are cast in a rosy glow, symbolizing that even the worst disasters can bring forth hope. People depicted are racially diverse. Backmatter material includes additional facts about the tree.
A lovely 20th-anniversary tribute to the towers and all who perished—and survived. (author's note, artist's note) (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-316-48767-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
Categories: CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S HISTORY
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