Little Nino's Pizzeria
From Reading Rainbow · 1989
28 minK1st2ndReading & Writing (ELA)Social-Emotional Learning
Summary
Karen Barbour's book follows Tony, whose father owns a beloved neighborhood pizzeria. When the restaurant grows into a fancy chain, Tony worries that the family closeness will be lost. LeVar Burton explores how food connects families and communities.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Tony loves helping his father at their small family pizzeria — until it becomes a big, fancy restaurant.
- How does Tony feel when the pizzeria becomes a large restaurant? Why?
- What is lost — and what is gained — when a small business grows?
- Have you ever felt left out when something you loved changed? What did you do?
- How do foods and restaurants connect families and neighborhoods?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: pizzeria, recipe, tradition, neighborhood, expand.
Try it: Draw Tony's small pizzeria and his father's new restaurant. Write one sentence about what is the same and one about what is different.