Best Party Ever! (Pizza and Taco #2)

by Stephen Shaskan

Overview

The second in a hilarious young graphic novel series about Pizza and Taco. This time around Pizza and Taco are bored, so they decide to throw an awesome party! What could possibly go wrong?

Pizza and Taco have the oh-so-relatable problem of not knowing what to do when boredom strikes. The answer? Throw a party! They have a location, and a guest list, and decorations. Everything is perfect . . . until it isn't. In fact, it's kind of a DISASTER! Ice Cream has a meltdown, and who knew Hamburger was lactose intolerant? (Who invited Cheeseburger anyway?) Well, now they know how NOT to throw a party!!

This hilarious young graphic novel—with chapters—will tickle the funny bones of kids ages 4-7 and bolster their reading confidence. Graphic chapter books serve as a great bridge to graphic novels and longer chapter books. Readers will also love the first two book in the series: Pizza and Taco: Who's the Best?
Pizza and Taco: Best Party Ever!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593123348
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	01/26/2021
Series:	Pizza and Taco: A Stepping Stone Book (TM) , #2
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	32,000
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	GN300L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

STEPHEN SHASKAN has written and illustrated a dozen children's books. His debut picture book, A Dog Is a Dog, was a New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection and was a CCBC Choices Book. He holds a BFA in illustration from Rhode Island School of Design, and worked with kids for twenty years as an early childhood educator and an after-school and summer art teacher. He performs musical storytimes, presents at schools, conferences, and festivals, and teaches comic classes to kids. Stephen lives with—and often collaborates with—his wife, author Trisha Speed Shaskan, in Minneapolis. Visit him at stephenshaskan.com.

Editorial Reviews

"The lunch bunch is back—and they’re throwing a party! A party worth crashing."  —Kirkus Reviews

Kid praise for Pizza and Taco: Who's the Best?

"This book is really funny! I love this book, because...PIZZA!" –Charlie, age 7

"It's a great mix of friendship, competition, and delicious food!" –Shira, age 9

From the Publisher

12/01/2021

K-Gr 3—Our lovable eponymous food protagonists are back for another wacky adventure. Bored one day, Pizza and Taco decide to throw a party at the water park. When they arrive at the park, only to find it closed, they try to improvise. When issues with their party sign and guests arise, they realize that they might not be able to save the day. This dialogue-driven graphic novel is short but sweet, with a solid lesson about planning. Readers will enjoy Pizza and Taco's positive energy and tendency to emote big feelings. Photographs of food superimposed against spare cartoon backgrounds match the whimsy and humor of the text. VERDICT Hand to early readers starting to explore graphic novels and who enjoy food-themed high jinks; even those unfamiliar with the series will easily jump in.

School Library Journal

2020-10-27
The lunch bunch is back—and they’re throwing a party!

It starts as a boring day. Neither Pizza nor Taco knows what to do besides sit. To spice things up, Taco suggests they stand. Standing feels better—until they realize that they’re now “STANDING and doing nothing.” The two anthropomorphic foodstuffs move and jump around to help them “THINK. / THINK. / THINK.” Taco gets a brilliant idea to throw a party. After “AWESOME!” and “YAAAS!” the pair gets to work planning. They make a list of supplies. They decide to host the party at “THE WATER PARK!” They send off invitations to their foodie friends: Cake, Ice Cream, the Chicken Tender twins, Hamburger, Hot Dog, and Cheeseburger. But when they get to the Water Park, they discover that it’s closed: “AHHHHHHHHHH!” Their names are misspelled on their party sign: “AHHHHHHHHHH!” A balloon pops and scares Ice Cream: “AHHHHHHHHHH!” Will anything go according to plan? Shaskan hams it up even more for this second course after Who’s the Best? (2020). Patterned backgrounds reiterate the setting and occasionally form full-page images alongside smaller panels. The low overall panel count (eight or fewer per spread) and repetitive five-chapter structure aid emerging readers in decoding the deliciously fun text. Unfortunately, inconsistent choices about panel borders may confuse some new-to-comics readers. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.3-by-12-inch double-page spreads viewed at 82% of actual size.)

A party worth crashing. (Graphic early reader. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews