Review by Booklist Review
May and her large, diverse family seem to have the perfectly exuberant life. At first, everyone is all smiles--until May's friend comes over to make pizza. Suddenly, May is anxious because she wants "a REALLY big pizza. But not TOO big!" As her lively siblings carry on in their usual whirlwind of activity, May's worries grow. Overwhelmed, she slips away to her room, unsure how to handle the chaos. But when her friend finds her, she reassures May that her family is fun, and that they can always enjoy some one-on-one time together once they've finished making the pizza. This can serve as a talking point for children who feel sensory overload and introduce ways to address it, and the simple, repetitive text, with an emphasis on comparatives, will empower beginning readers to feel confident as they follow along. The vibrant illustrations perfectly capture both the joy and the chaos of May's world and helpfully support the text. A strong addition for any library serving emerging readers.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--May, a young girl with brown skin, asks a friend to help her make a pizza big enough for her seven diverse siblings. She struggles throughout the process, worried about ensuring that the pizza, like her family, is big enough, "But not TOO big!" She frets over each ingredient as they make "a lot of dough. But not too stretchy!" and add "a lot of pepper. But not too spicy!" Overwhelmed by the enormous pizza and her chaotic household, May escapes to her bed. An illustration of her huddled posture and furrowed brow conveys her anxiety and sensory overload, but she is quickly soothed by a slice of pizza and the promise of one-on-one time with her friend. The slapstick humor in the kitchen is the main focus, but its emotional effect on May could be useful for discussions about sensory regulation. Concise phrasing, large print, and lots of repetition will help new readers with decodability, while also making this a fun choice for story times and group sharing. VERDICT A strong addition to a promising new series.--Amy Reimann
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