About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is ready to transition from being read to into becoming a reader themselves, or when they are deep in the 'pretend play' phase of development. Shanna's Pizza Parlor follows a young, confident girl as she takes charge of her own imaginary restaurant, serving up silly and creative toppings to her stuffed animal friends. It celebrates the logic of a child's imagination where red beans and jelly beans belong on the same menu. For parents, this is a perfect choice to build reading confidence because it uses rhyme, repetition, and vibrant visual cues. It supports preschoolers and early kindergartners in seeing themselves as capable 'doers' and leaders of their own play-worlds.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
None. This is a secular, joyful, and safe exploration of play.
Ideal Reader
A 4-year-old who loves 'helping' in the kitchen and is beginning to recognize sight words.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. Parents can prepare by being ready to pause and let the child finish the rhyming couplets to encourage phonemic awareness. A parent might reach for this after watching their child struggle with the frustration of not being 'big enough' to help with real cooking, or when noticing their child is starting to memorize favorite books.
