Review Detail

ROSA'S BIG PIZZA EXPERIMENT is a cute picture book about the process to make a pizza, beginning with the flour, water, and yeast used to make the crust. Told using simplified language and through a story of friends working together, this is an adorable adventure in the kitchen. The illustrations accompany the text perfectly with fun characters (including Snowy Dog) and bright colors.

What I loved: This book explains processes in making pizza, such as yeast making the dough rise, in very simple terms that are easy for young children to understand. These concepts involve many aspects of STEM that are used in everyday tasks like making a meal, including measuring ingredients, watching temperature carefully, and combining things together for different effects. This really brings scientific reasoning to a young age in a really fun way - because who doesn't love pizza?

I also really love how large the text is, making it easy to read, and that things are explained so well. A lot of the text occurs in dialogue, which add interest to the story through the eyes of the different characters. The pages are a little thicker than typical picture book pages, which makes them perfect for toddlers and preschoolers to easily turn and explore on their own.

What left me wanting more: As a very small point, there isn't really an experiment in the book, but scientific concepts are used throughout. This is age appropriate for the youngest of readers.

Final verdict: An adorable baking experience, Rosa and friends teach young children about making pizza and the scientific concepts that go into it. This is a great choice for toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary-aged students who love food, brightly colored illustrations, and fun characters.