A Pizza the Size of the Sun

( 12 )

Overview

I'm making a pizza the size of the sun,
a pizza that's sure to weigh more than a ton,
a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.

I'm topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
with acres of peppers,...

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More About This Book

Overview

I'm making a pizza the size of the sun,
a pizza that's sure to weigh more than a ton,
a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.

I'm topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
with acres of peppers, pimentos, and peas,
with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage galore,
with every last olive they had at the store.

Here is a wondrously tasty—and always funny—collection of more than 100 poems for readers of every age. Meet Miss Misinformation and Gladiola Gloppe (andher Soup Shoppe), and delight in a backward poem, a poem that never ends,and scores of other poems to read and love. You won't stop smiling!

A collection of humorous poetry on a variety of topics.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Poetry's bad boys are back again, teaming up to take another swipe at stuffiness. Prelutsky's predilection for playfulness percolates throughout this collection of slyly subversive rhymes, and he couldn't ask for a better partner in crime than Stevenson, whose droll, minimalist sketches so enlivened the duo's previous escapades (The New Kid on the Block; Something BIG Has Been Here). Once again Prelutsky demonstrates a robust appreciation of the absurdand an uncanny knack for turning every possible subject on its head. Here his verse ranges from the short and sweet ("My mother makes me chicken,/ her chicken makes me cough./ I wish that when she made it,/ she took the feathers off") to poems of Jabberwockian silliness (the entry that begins " `I'm ceiling fad!' a money boned./ `Alas!' a carrot pride" is just one example). The pages are peppered with kinetic black-and-white drawings; like Thurber, Stevenson wrings a wealth of humor and emotion out of a few dashes of ink. If a laugh is what's needed, just hand over the keys and let these two drive. Ages 5-up. (Sept.)
Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
In an inimitable troubadour tour-de-force, poet and performer Prelutsky (The Dragons Are Singing Tonight) serves up toe-tapping renditions of verses from his popular 1996 collection. Prelutsky's pleasantly warbling folksy singing voice nimbly leaps over tongue twisters and all sorts of playful rhymes in ditties like "Dixxer's Excellent Elixir," "Frenetica Fluntz" and "The Fummawummalummazumms." And he's sure to elicit still more giggles when he occasionally raises his voice to a humorously affected falsetto on "Gloppe's Soup Shoppe" and a few other tunes. In between guffaws, young listeners will find lots of topics with surefire appeal: "Bugs! Bugs!" "I Made Something Strange with My Chemistry Set" and "Eyeballs for Sale!" Backed by a strong children's chorus and talented musicians on fiddle, banjo, mandolin and more, Prelutsky seems right at home. (He's the one playing the kazoo.) This often boisterous mix of silliness and song should prove entertaining for the whole family. All ages. (Dec.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|
Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot
A large collection of humorous poems on a variety of subjects that will appeal to kids. "My Gerbil Seemed Bedraggled" is a great commentary on this adorable pet that seems to produce offspring overnight. Or maybe the short poem "Milk!" will be the one you remember -- it tells of the protagonist who will no longer drink milk since he found out where it comes from. The never-ending poem could drive you crazy. Stevenson's comical black-and-white drawings provide added amusement.
Library Journal
Fresh from the triumph of Isaac's Storm, which told the story of the deadly 1900 Galveston hurricane, Larson leaps into a dual tale set around the World's Columbian Exposition, semi-officially known as the Chicago World's Fair of 1893. The event was to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America. It did that and also highlighted America's second most populous city, filled with energy, smoke, architectural genius, and animal and sometime human slaughter. Architect Daniel H. Burnham faced a near impossible task: design and construct hundreds of buildings, some monumental in size and grandeur, in the face of an incredibly tight schedule. The author describes the challenges Burnham faced, but his greatest challenge and greatest achievement was the melding of the diverse cast of characters who created the Great White City, so-called because most of the fair's buildings were painted white. Seminal landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted was on hand to complain and create; so were contentious union organizers and agitators, jealous colleagues, builders, and wheeler-dealers. Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Herman Webster Mudgett, a.k.a. Henry H. Holmes, had built a bizarre structure aimed at trapping, exploiting, and killing young women. The story of the psychopath contrasts with Burnham's, though sometimes the analogies seem strained or absent. Reader Scott Brick has a young and mildly expressive voice; what is lacking is dialog-even invented (educated, of course) dialog would have added an element of interest and suspense. Still, the tale is finely crafted and deeply researched. An excellent selection for both American history and true crime collections.-Don Wismer, Cary Memorial Lib., Wayne, ME Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 6Yet another masterful collection of poems by the prolific Prelutsky, filled with zany people, improbable creatures, and rhythm and rhyme galore, all combining to celebrate the unusual, the mundane, and the slightly gruesome ("Eyeballs for sale!/Fresh eyeballs for sale!/Delicious, nutritious,/Not moldy or stale."). Each page is brimming with Stevenson's complementary, droll watercolors, reproduced here in black and white. As with their other collaborations (The New Kid on the Block [1984] and Something Big Has Been Here [1990, both Greenwillow]) this book is a sure bet. Perfect for reading aloud or alone, it will be reached for again and again by teachers, parents, kids, librarians, and anyone else who likes poems that make them chuckle. As a matter of fact, this book should be required reading for those out there who claim they don't like poetry. If you can only afford one poetry collection this year, make it this one.Carrie Schadle, New York Public Library
School Library Journal
K-Gr 6-Meet Miss Misinformation, Swami Gourami, and Gladiola Gloppe (and her Soup Shoppe), and delight in a backwards poem, a poem that never ends, and scores of others. By Jack Prelutsky. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
A collection of well over 100 poems that pop and sparkle like firecrackers, well up to the standard set by this team's Something BIG Has Been Here (1990) and The New Kid on the Block (1984).

The poems vary—some are little packets of energy ("Sardines": "Their daily lives are bland,/and if they land—/they're canned") while others allow readers to take a stroll through their treasure-filled lines. Prelutsky puts his obvious delight in words to work, employing backwards writing and mirror writing, different typefaces and font sizes, unconventional typesetting, and unfamiliar words—children will scramble to find out what a manticore is and why its eyeballs might be nutritious. The poems' subjects range from spaghetti seeds, to a flock of defiant pigeons, to more philosophical musings: "I'm drifting through negative space,/a frown on my lack of a face,/attempting to hear/with a tenuous ear/what nobody says in this place." Prelutsky loosens his agile imagination in words, while around the pages cavort Stevenson's interpretive line drawings, shimmy-shimmying to the beat. Terrific.

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780062239518
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 2/26/2013
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 160
  • Sales rank: 115,801
  • Age range: 6 - 10 Years
  • Product dimensions: 7.10 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 0.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Jack Prelutsky

Jack Prelutsky was the nation's first Children's Poet Laureate. He has filled more than fifty books of verse with his inventive wordplay, including the national bestsellers Scranimals, illustrated by Peter Sís, and The New Kid on the Block, as well as the picture books Stardines Swim High Across the Sky and Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, both illustrated by Carin Berger. He lives in Washington State.

James Stevenson is an op-ed contributor to the New York Times. His popular column, "Lost and Found New York," has appeared regularly in the newspaper since 2003. He was on the staff of The New Yorker for more than three decades; his work includes 2,000 cartoons and 80 covers, as well as reporting and fiction. He is also the author and illustrator of over 100 children's books. He lives in Connecticut.

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Read an Excerpt

A Pizza the Size of the Sun

I'm making a pizza the size of the sun,
a pizza that's sure to weigh more than a ton,
a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.

I'm topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
with acres of peppers, pimentos and peas,
with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage galore,
with every last olive they had at the store.

My pizza is sure to be one of a kind,
my pizza will leave other pizzas behind,
my pizza will be a delectable treat
that all who love pizza are welcome to eat.

The oven is hot, I believe it will take
a year and a half for my pizza to bake.
I hardly can wait till my pizza is done,
my wonderful pizza the size of the sun.

Eyeballs for Sale!

Eyeballs for sale!
Fresh eyeballs for sale!
Delicious, nutritious, not moldy or stale.
Eyeballs from manticores,
ogres, and elves,
fierce dragon eyeballs
that cook by themselves.

Eyeballs served cold!
Eyeballs served hot!
if you like eyeballs,
then this is the spot.
Ladle a glassful,
a bowlful, or pail—
Eyeballs! Fresh eyeballs!
Fresh eyeballs for sale!

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 12 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(10)

4 Star

(2)

3 Star

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Sort by: Showing all of 12 Customer Reviews

  • Posted May 3, 2010

    A Pizza the Size of the Sun

    A Pizza the Size of the Sun is a poetry book by Jack Prelutsky. I think that the book is very good because the pictures really catch your eye by not having that much illustration but it is really nice. I also like this book because his poems are real and have good lessons in them. He is different than other writers like Shel Silverstein because his poems and pictures tell you what the story is with out reading the poem and that's what I like.
    My favorite poem is "Please Remove Seal" because it is funny and it is true because the sticker that says please remove seal is really ambiguous because you don't know what to do remove the sticker or there is a real sea in the box, it really makes you think. Also when you first read the poem "Please Remove the Seal" you think it dumb but when you re-read it really makes sense. That poem is a thinker.
    Another poem that I like and I can make a connection to is the poem "My Brother's Really Stingy" because when my brother has silly bands and I ask him for one and he says you can have one, and it is broken it reminds of this poem "My Brother's Really Stingy" when the big brother asks for a lowly- pop then the little brother licks it and says now you can have it. That reminds me of my brother and me.
    Another poem that I can really relate to is "My Mother Makes Me Chicken" because almost every night for dinner we have chicken, grilled chicken, barbecue chicken, breaded chicken and all other chicken recipes. I really get sick of eating chicken, it is good one day but it gets over the top. Once when my mom was in Australia and she found chicken chips. I really don't like chicken.
    Jack Prelutsky is a great poem writer; I recommend this book to any one who wants a good laugh and a good poem book. You should get this book because his pictures are great and his poems are fantastic also they have a nice rhyming scheme and also he is one of the best poets out there. His poems are awesome and I can really relate to them, it is like the poem book of my life, the poems are also really ambiguous but I can understand them once you read them again. I think he is the best poet ever.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 7, 2009

    Great children's poetry book

    I used to love Jack Prelutsky's poetry when I was little. I remember bringing it in for show and tell one day to read one of my favorite poems from this book and the teacher was so interested in it that she had us put on a play reciting the poetry. It was a lot of fun.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 6, 2007

    Every Now and Then We Need to Laugh

    I could only laugh when I read this hilarious book. It's fun to read! It's fun to have on a rainy day. If you read this you'll have fun, fun, fun. We all need fun in our lives. And every now and then we need to have a good laugh. So if you're having a bad day, and need some laughter, read this book.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2005

    Speechless!!!!!!!!

    Calling attention to all comedians, poetry fanatics, and people experiencing major boredom! This book can help all those people. It also helps you pronunciate words correctly because some of the poems are tongue-twisters. I'll even read them out loud to myself because I know I'm learning how to speak better. This book really helped me mouthe better English. I'm sure it will help you the same way. What a marvelous book!!!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 22, 2011

    A pizza the size of the sun

    I think all of the poems in this book are funny. The best thing in the book is they showed you pictures so that you can get a better idea and imagine in your mind.I would recommend this book to people that like to be silly.I wish that every one could read this book and feel silly.That's my online review.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 14, 2008

    a reviewer

    This book was a #1 and I loved it! I, being an 11 year old girl, have to tell all parents, children, and teachers this is a fanominal poetry book and I am certanly captivated by this outstanding book, I most completely think you will agree. I can't begin to express the joy I attained by reading this amazing book by J.Prelutsky. I recomened that anyone who reads this should go to their pubic or school library right away and check out,'A Pizza the size of the Sun.' Fanaly to all people reading this This is a great book, and let me be frank, I will charish and keep its inspirational poems close to my heart.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 9, 2004

    Eat the pizza

    Review for ¿a Pizza the size of the Sun¿ Book by Jack Prelutsky Review by Ryan 5 pizzas Jack Prelutsky writes funny poems, sad poems and weird poems but I like them all because I can usually make a connection to all of his poems. That is something that makes me want to read a poem. Not what its about or whose in it but If it looks like something I can make a connection to I will read it. This is why I like to read Jack Prelutsky poem books. I like the poem called ¿Bugs Bugs¿ because it I like bugs and I have seen them in many different sizes, shapes and colors so I can relate to this poem. The poem I am going to present to the class I can relate to it seems crystal clear to me. I like the poem ¿Do Not Approach An Emu¿ because it is true so don¿t come close to an Emu because you never now when it will kick you. Some connections I have with the book are when I¿m at the zoo I never get to close to an Emu. The poem ¿ I think My Computers Crazy¿ I can relate to because some times my computer gets screwed up and it makes me mad. It takes a while to fix and sometimes it takes days till I can go back on again. My favorite poem is ¿ I WasWalkingIn A Circle¿. Its my favorite poem because because it repeats and it makes me laugh. It also is funny and is weird. This book overall I thought it was a great book for poems. It mad me laugh and I would tell other people to read this poem book by Jack Prelutsky because it is a great book. I would also tell them to read other books by Jack Prelutsky. The reason why I rated my book 5 pizzas is because it made me laugh and I actually liked to read it. This is why I rated this book 5 pizzas.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 16, 2001

    This book is WONDERFUL

    This is a wonderful example of Prelutsky's works. He's written many others, and I have enjoyed them all. The New Kid On The Block is a humorous poem about a mean girl, and as in most of the other poems, you only find the funny part at the very end. The last 2 lines are like this: 'That new kid's really bad, I don't care for her at all.' Very humorous works, as always, by Jack Prelutsky.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 3, 2001

    The Best Book!

    These poems make me laugh so hard I fall of my seat.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 16, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 9, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 22, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

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