Pizza for the Queen by Nancy Castaldo, illustrated by Melisande Potter (Holiday House, 2005). Raffaele is thrilled when the queen’s messenger asks him to make a pizza for her. What an honor! But what should he put on his pizza? Giovanni’s mozzarella, Maria’s olive oil, Guiseppe’s sausage, Niccolo’s little fishes? Wait! He’ll make three and the queen will have her choice of his best. But what does Meow-Meow do to the little fishes, and what then will Raffaele put on his third pizza? Which one will the queen like best? Ages 4-up.

More on Pizza for the Queen

Okay, it’s a pizza book set in Italy. I love Italian food. I love pizza. There you go.

But it’s also more than that. There’s a tremendous charm to the language and art–it’s like a vacation in a book.

The author’s note features some historical background and some fun facts. Did you know that “93 percent of Americans eat at least one pizza per month…”? I probably average two.

I’m into thin crust, and my husband Greg is into Chicago-style deep dish. It’s a mixed marriage.

note: Melisande has an accent mark over the first “e,” but Blogger formatting is refusing to accept it. My apologies.

Cynsational News & Links

Old and New Stories from Appalachia by Tina L. Hanlon from The Five Owls. Thanks to author Kerry Madden for recommending this link. See also these related articles: Growing Up in the New South by Mark I. West; African Americans Making a Difference in the New South by Michelle H. Martin; and Ellen Foster: Survival in the New South by Paula Gallant Eckard.

Thanks to Cecil Castellucci for mentioning my recent interviews with authors Jennifer Richard Jacobson and Kerry Madden on her LJ (see 7/11 post).