Super Pizza & Kid Kale
Author: Phaea Crede
Illustrator: Zach Smith
27 September 2022
Viking Books for Young Readers
40 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “With great flavor, comes great responsibility.

Super Pizza and Kid Kale have been delicious do-​gooders and the best of friends since the day they came aleaf in the oven of the Baker Elementary cafeteria. But as they heroically foil one dastardly deed after another, Super Pizza’s popularity begins to go to their crust, and it leaves their veggie pal feeling rotten. The growing frustration that begins to drive a wedge in their friendship is now threatening to take the students of the school down with them! It’ll be up to Super Pizza and Kid Kale to patch things up so that they can get back to being the heroes that these kids knead.

For fans of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast comes a hilarious and punny new picture book about navigating the ups and downs of friendship and the unintended consequences that actions can have on others, starring the Batman and Robin of food.”

Educational Activities inspired by Super Pizza & Kid Kale:

• Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover: 
  • What do you think about pizza?
  • What do you think about kale?
  • Where and when do you think this story takes place?
  • What differences do you see between the two superheroes on the front cover and the back cover?
  • What questions would you like to ask the author before you read the book?
• After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story: 
  • How did you react when Kid Kale got upset about being ignored and undervalued?
  • Super Pizza & Kid Kale has a graphic novel/​comic illustration style. Why do you think the artist chose this style for this story?
  • Which of the pictures did you enjoy the most?
  • The book is full of puns (jokes that come from possible different meanings of a word, or words that have multiple meanings). Which were your favorites?
  • Did you like this book? Why/​why not?
• Writing–The origin story of these unusual superheroes is a “freak cafeteria accident” on page one. What other school-​based superheroes might emerge from a different freak accident? Write one of those origin stories, and if you want, write one of their adventures, too. Use colored pencils, crayons, or markers to create your own story art, whether it’s comic-​style like Super Pizza & Kid Kale or something else entirely. Consider sharing your school superhero story with a friend or family member.
• Crafting–Who knew there were so many kid crafts about pizza! OPB did, and here are a few of our favorites: 
  • Felt Play Pizza–You need a glue gun for this one, but the other supplies are easy-​peasy to get.
  • Papier Mache Pizza–I love when you can just watch a video and see how it’s done.
  • Paper Plate Pizza–So deliciously easy to make.
  • Pizza Play Dough–You don’t eat it, but it looks yummy.
  • Popsicle Stick Pizza Slice–A great last-​minute craft idea.

• Further Reading–Which of these books about pizza have you already read? Which of the others would you want to read first? (Click on any book cover for more information on these titles!)