Parents' Guide to

Secret Pizza Party

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Deliciously funny read about one raccoon's quest for pizza.

Book Adam Rubin Humor 2013
Secret Pizza Party Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

Emishappy
Emishappy Adult
July 13, 2020
age 18+

Possibly enables grooming.

I would not buy this book for your child! I read over it and was disgusted. It encourages children to keep secrets and from their parents and go places in secret. In this book it follows a Raccoon that is wanted and has a bad reputation. He takes the child on an adventure with him to eat pizza in secret and warns the child to never tell his parents as they will beat him with a broom. Including bringing him to the woods, telling the child not to tell any adults who he is or where he lives as they'll beat him with a broom and taking the chikd to his bedroom while locking the door where he turns off the light and tells the child to whisper so they will not be heard.
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What's the Story?

All Raccoon wants is some pizza -- no, lots of pizza, all the time. He's so infamous for his quest that a wanted sign hangs in the local pizza parlor. When the narrator suggests that he have a pizza party at his house that night -- a SECRET PIZZA PARTY -- the shenanigans begin and the brooms start flying.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

The storytelling doesn't flow as well as in Dragons Love Tacos, but Secret Pizza Party is still as irresistible as a pie with your favorite toppings. The delicious language -- "sweet sassy molassy!" and "hot diggidy dog!" -- makes this a great read-aloud. The detailed illustrations by Daniel Salmieri add to the silliness: Raccoon, surrounded by masked pizza partiers, simply holds a stick on the side of his already masked face -- genius. Expect this fun book to make kids insist on complete darkness and hushed voices on your next family pizza night. Shhhh!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about -- no, whisper about -- secrets. What secrets are fun? How do you keep a secret -- just by being quiet? Or is there more to it? When are secrets not so good?

  • Turn each page of the book together and play the "That's silly" game. What's silly? What could be real? Can a raccoon dial a phone? Is there such a thing as a Broom Enthusiasts Club?

  • Do you have a secret handshake? Can you make up a family secret handshake? How silly can you make it?

Book Details

  • Author: Adam Rubin
  • Illustrator: Daniel Salmieri
  • Genre: Humor
  • Topics: Wild Animals
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Dial Books
  • Publication date: September 3, 2013
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 3 - 5
  • Number of pages: 40
  • Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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