Prelutsky, Jack. 1994. A pizza the size of the sun. Illustrated by James Stevenson. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN: 0-590-14963-6.
A Pizza The Size of The Sun is a collection of poetry by Jack Prelusky. It is illustrated by James Stevenson. There are many different sorts of poems in A Pizza The Size of The Sun. They range in subject matter and format.
Many of the poems play with the presentation of letters. For example, Backwards Forwards Silly Rhyme presents the poem where each word is presented (surprise, surprise) backwards. Thus a line would read I thuoht d�I etirw ekil siht yadot means I thought I�d write like this today (29). The poem by its unusual presentation draws you into its madness. Another poem I am your mirror Image is meant to be read by holding it up to a mirror. I�m All Mixed Up presents the poem in a jumble of upper and lower case letters. For example, the poem begins I�m AlL mixed uP (107). This is done to show the confusion of our persona. It actually makes quite a statement. I Often Repeat Repeat Myself like the title suggests repeats certain words throughout the poem to make a statement about the persona. For example, it begins I often repeat repeat myself, I often repeat repeat. I don�t I don�t know why know why, I simply know that I I I am am inclined to say to say a lot a lot this way this way�I often repeat repeat myself, I often repeat myself (112). Another poem that plays with letters/words is Reverso Is Name My or translated it is My Name Is Reverso. This poem plays with word order. The words are spelled correctly, but have to be read from right to left instead of left to right.
Prelutsky also writes many concrete poems. There are several in this collection. I Was Walking In A Circle is a good example of Prelutsky�s concrete poems. It is printed in a circle and reads I was walking in a circle when I spied a piece of paper covered with a pretty picture colored yellow green and red as I picked it up I noticed that it also had some writing and I knew that I should read it this is what the writing said (23). A Triangular Tale is a concrete poem in the shape of a triangle. A Dizzy Little Duzzle is a concrete poem in the shape of a zig-zag, weaving line. It twists and turns and spreads out all over the page.
Prelutsky writes many nonsense poems with fanciful creatures during bizarre things. My Elephant Is Different is a poem about an imaginary creature. My elephant is different than most elephants I meet, its ears are short and fuzzy, it has feathers on its feet. It�s scaly like a lizard, and it�s furry like a skunk, it sports a sort of auger where there ought to be a trunk. It doesn�t much resemble other elephants I find, its tail is like a mushroom on its tiny blue behind. It cackles like a chicken, and its fourteen inches tall�at times I think my elephant�s no elephant at all (9). That poem is also a good example of Prelutsky�s ability to describe. Spaghetti Seeds is a poem about someone who buys spaghetti seeds and is upset when instead they grow macaroni. The Manners of the Moopies is a poem about people that are very messy�and bizarre�eaters. They put pudding in their pockets, they stuff oatmeal in their socks. They recline on mashed potatoes, they tie wieners to their ears, they smear jelly on their noses as they swing from chandeliers (66). A Teenage Hippopotamus features a man upset that he lives below this noisy hippo and wants to move next door where lions live on the upper floor. There are two poems about talking vegetables: A Fine Head of Lettuce and An Unsavory Tomato. Both poems utilize word play. In A Fine Head of Lettuce the word play is that lettuce sounds like let us. In An Unsavory Tomato the word play is that paced sounds like paste. (In unbridled agitation that irate tomato paced (119).) Another poem is The Fummawummalummazumms. Those flying, buzzing creatures keep the persona awake at night. But the language is just very rhythmic, very fun to read. Those fummawummalummazumms are gumming up my brains with their zigzag zooming thrumming strumming hums (132). Another nonsense poem is I�m Proud of My Preposterpus. It is another fanciful creature. We Are Doddies is yet another example.
Prelutsky also writes about families. My Brother Is A Doodler is about a little brother that loves to draw so much that he draws all over his brother�s feet. Oh Please Take Me Fishing is about a little sister who wants to go fishing with her brother. The brother can�t decide if he wants to teach her or use her for bait. Hurry Grandma Hurry is about a careless boy that likes to show off. He does many dangerous stunts until his grandma faints. I Think My Computer Is Crazy is a hilarious poem about the technical difficulties he�s been having with his computer since his brother put bologna in the floppy drive. I Made Something With My Chemistry Set is about a kid who has an accident with his chemistry set (creates a monster) that wreaks havoc on the family. My Mother Makes Me Chicken is about a boy who does not appreciate�with good reason�his mother�s cooking. My Brother�s Really Stingy is a short little poem that captures a lot of feeling, My brother�s really stingy, he�s the lowest, he�s the worst. He never shares his lollipops unless he licks them first (78). There Are Zebras On The Ceiling is a poem about one family�s crazy but normal Monday. I Do Not Wish To Go To School is about one daughter�s tactic to try to stay home from school. She threatens to eat worms if her mother makes her go to school. Her mother holds out two worms and says like these fat and juicy and delicious worms�.and not surprisingly, the daughter decides to go to school. When Daddy Sat On The Tomatoes is the story of what happens when a father gets an unpleasant surprise. Grandpa McWheeze is about a very active�and very bizarre�grandpa.
My favorite poem is When I Am Full of Silence. It is a serious poem. When I am full of silence, and no one else is near, the voice I keep inside of me is all I want to hear. I settle in my secret place, contented and alone, and think no other thoughts except the thoughts that are my own. When I am full of silence, I do not care to play, to run and jump and fuss about, the way I do all day. The pictures painted in my mind are all I need to see when I am full of silence . . . when I am truly me (134). I find the poem very moving, very powerful, and very true.
There are many different types and styles of poems in this collection. The collection is enjoyable. The illustrations�black and white drawings or sketches�are wonderfully fitting to this collection. Some of my favorite illustrations are of the preposterpus on page one hundred and fifty and the pictures of the grumpy man which accompany the poem I Do Not Like Sunshine on page ninety-six and ninety-seven. The illustrations complement the text well. Overall, the book is a delight to read and re-read.