Pizza vs. Taco Books: Which Are Better?
by Lindsay Barrett
Are you Team Taco Tuesday or Team Friday Pie Day? My kids’ love for both meals runs so deep that we can’t pick a favorite. Pizza and tacos can happen any (or many!) nights of the week. My kids have never turned down a book that celebrates one of these foods, either. Check out these 11 entertaining pizza and taco books that are perfect for enjoying before or after any meal.
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Secret Pizza Party
Available from:Before they created the phenomenon, Dragons Love Tacos (more on that below), this hilarious author/illustrator team brought us a deliciously quirky ode to “gooey, cheesy, tomato-y” pizza. Raccoon is tired of being shooed away from the local pizza joint. He dreams of a private pizza party where he can satisfy his cravings without judgment. It doesn’t work out exactly as he hoped, but his efforts make for an entertaining read-aloud.
(Ages 3 - 7)Also available from: -
Pizza!
Available from:Pizza lovers, it’s time to get the facts. Greg Pizzoli turns the history of this favorite food into a fascinating tale. Readers will learn about almost-pizzas from ancient cultures and the first “official” pizza delivery in Naples, Italy, to Queen Margherita. Plus, celebrate how the love of pizza spread across the globe.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Pizza Pig
Available from:Pizza Pig wants to make everyone’s pizza just right. Cute rhymes share how all the animals like their pies, from “Penguins like theirs extra cold” to “Rats want cheese with extra mold.” When Turtle refuses to eat his pizza, Pig won’t rest until he learns why. This story is fun for new readers to stretch their skills or to read aloud to pizza-loving littles and talk about the pictures.
(Ages 4 – 6)Also available from: -
Pizza My Heart
Available from:Squirrels Norma and Belly are always thinking about their next snack. When they get a hankering for pizza, they go on a mission to find some — and their quest includes many laughable missteps. This early graphic novel series is fantastic for new readers building their stamina. The hilarious illustrations carry most of the story, and the pages turn quickly. True pizza fans will identify with the lengths one might go to when desperate for a hot slice.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Super Pizza and Kid Kale
Available from:During the same cafeteria accident, Super Pizza and Kid Kale earned their superpower statuses. So why does Pizza get the main dish credit while Kale is stuck on the side, barely noticed? This pun-filled school food adventure is a creative twist on a classic friendship tale. It offers up plates full of giggles for kids and adults.
(Ages 5 — 7)Also available from: -
I Really Dig Pizza!
Available from:If you hid a tasty pizza so you could eat it later, how far would you go to throw others off its scent? Archie doesn’t want Reddie to learn her secret. But who gifted her the perfectly packaged pizza, anyway? This is the first funny friendship story in an early graphic novel series about two fox pals.
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
How to Eat Pizza
Available from:How do you choose which pizza slice to grab out of the box? One piece of pizza uses its persuasive powers to convince a hungry diner to leave it behind. (Spoiler: The outcome isn’t what that big, cheesy slice intended.) This one is a hoot to read aloud — maybe while you wait for your pizza delivery to arrive!
(Ages 3 – 5)Also available from: -
Pizza-Pie Snowman
Available from:This snowy pizza tale will delight little ones’ sense of humor. Pinky takes his job of picking up a pizza for his mother seriously — not even an enormous pile of snow that falls on him from a tree branch can stop him. So why does everyone in town think they see a walking, talking snowman heading into the pizzeria?
(Ages 4 – 8)Also available from: -
Pizza and Taco: Who's the Best?
Available from:This early graphic novel series opener gets straight to an essential question. Pizza and Taco are best friends but also ultra-competitive. Kids will love their banter (including a few requisite fart references), and the feel-good ending sets the stage for more food-friend adventures.
(Ages 5 – 8)Also available from: -
Dragons Love Tacos
Available from:Dragons love tacos, but DO NOT feed them spicy salsa. It will give them tummy troubles, and Dragon tummy troubles lead to gigantic problems! This picture book sensation gets better every time (or dozen times) you read it aloud. It’s perfect for sharing with a wide range of ages because there are new details to notice each time you revisit it.
(Ages 3 – 7)Also available from: -
Max Meow Book 4: Taco Time Machine
Available from:Tacos + time travel are a winning literary combination. Cat crusader Max Meow and his sidekick Mindy must use a (slightly wonky) taco-shaped time machine to save Mindy’s dad, Dr. Microbe. This fast-paced series is perfect for kids ready to move from early-reader graphic novels to longer ones. They can learn about standard genre features like a prologue and various page and text formats.
(Ages 7 – 10)Also available from:
