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Curious George and the Pizza Party
George is going to a pizza party! He’s so excited. He loves pizza and parties. George promises to be on his best monkey behavior, but when he gets to the party and sees all of that pizza dough, George has an idea . . . a big idea that lands him in big trouble! A recipe for healthy veggie mini-pizzas is included.Book PaperbackPublication 4/12/2010 24Reading Age 5 and Up
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Margret Rey
254 books122 followersMargret Elizabeth Rey (May 16, 1906 – December 21, 1996), born Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein, was (with her husband H. A. Rey), the co-author and illustrator of children's books, best known for their Curious George
Although she was born in Germany, she fled to Brazil early in her life to escape Nazism. While there, she met her future husband Hans (who was a salesman and also from Germany). They married in 1935 and moved to Paris, France that same year.
While in Paris, Hans's animal drawings came to the attention of French publisher, who commissioned him to write a children's book. The result, Rafi and the Nine Monkeys, is little remembered today, but one of its characters, an adorably impish monkey named Curious George, was such a success that the couple considered writing a book just about him. Their work was interrupted with the outbreak of World War II. As Jews, the Reys decided to flee Paris before the Nazis seized the city. Hans built two bicycles, and they fled Paris just a few hours before it fell. Among the meager possessions they brought with them was the illustrated manuscript of Curious George.
The Reys' odyssey brought them to the Spanish border, where they bought train tickets to Lisbon. From there they returned to Brazil, where they had met five years earlier, but this time they continued to New York, New York. The books were published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, though certain changes had to be introduced because of the technology of the time. Hans and Margret originally planned to use watercolors to illustrate the books, but since they were responsible for the color separation, he changed these to the cartoon-like images that continue to feature in each of the books. (A collector's edition with the original watercolors was recently released.)
Curious George was an instant success, and the Reys were commissioned to write more adventures of the mischievous monkey and his friend, the Man in the Yellow Hat. They wrote seven stories in all, with Hans mainly doing the illustrations and Margret working mostly on the stories, though they both admitted to sharing the work and cooperating fully in every stage of development. At first, however, Margret's name was left off the cover, ostensibly because there was a glut of women already writing children's fiction. In later editions, this was corrected, and Margret now receives full credit for her role in developing the stories.
Margret and her husband moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1963, in a house close to Harvard Square. Following her husband's death in 1977, Margret continued writing, and in 1979, became a Professor of Creative Writing at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Starting in 1980, she also began to collaborate with Alan Shalleck on a series of short films featuring Curious George and more than two dozen additional books.
In 1989 Margret Rey established the Curious George Foundation to help creative children and prevent cruelty to animals. In 1996, she made major donations to the Boston Public Library and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She was also a long-time supporter of the Longy School of Music. The Reys spent twenty summers in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, to enable H.A. Rey to better observe the stars for his astronomy writing. They became an integral part of the Waterville community and their legacy is honored by The Margret and H.A. Rey Center and the Curious George Cottage located there.
Dr. Lena Y. de Grummond, a professor in the field of library science (specializing in children's literature) at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. contacted the Reys in 1966 about the university's new children's literature collection. H.A. and Margret made a donation of a pair of sketches at the time. In 1996, after Margret's death, it was revealed in her will that the entire literary estate of the Reys were to be donated to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at Southern Miss.
Although she was born in Germany, she fled to Brazil early in her life to escape Nazism. While there, she met her future husband Hans (who was a salesman and also from Germany). They married in 1935 and moved to Paris, France that same year.
While in Paris, Hans's animal drawings came to the attention of French publisher, who commissioned him to write a children's book. The result, Rafi and the Nine Monkeys, is little remembered today, but one of its characters, an adorably impish monkey named Curious George, was such a success that the couple considered writing a book just about him. Their work was interrupted with the outbreak of World War II. As Jews, the Reys decided to flee Paris before the Nazis seized the city. Hans built two bicycles, and they fled Paris just a few hours before it fell. Among the meager possessions they brought with them was the illustrated manuscript of Curious George.
The Reys' odyssey brought them to the Spanish border, where they bought train tickets to Lisbon. From there they returned to Brazil, where they had met five years earlier, but this time they continued to New York, New York. The books were published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, though certain changes had to be introduced because of the technology of the time. Hans and Margret originally planned to use watercolors to illustrate the books, but since they were responsible for the color separation, he changed these to the cartoon-like images that continue to feature in each of the books. (A collector's edition with the original watercolors was recently released.)
Curious George was an instant success, and the Reys were commissioned to write more adventures of the mischievous monkey and his friend, the Man in the Yellow Hat. They wrote seven stories in all, with Hans mainly doing the illustrations and Margret working mostly on the stories, though they both admitted to sharing the work and cooperating fully in every stage of development. At first, however, Margret's name was left off the cover, ostensibly because there was a glut of women already writing children's fiction. In later editions, this was corrected, and Margret now receives full credit for her role in developing the stories.
Margret and her husband moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1963, in a house close to Harvard Square. Following her husband's death in 1977, Margret continued writing, and in 1979, became a Professor of Creative Writing at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Starting in 1980, she also began to collaborate with Alan Shalleck on a series of short films featuring Curious George and more than two dozen additional books.
In 1989 Margret Rey established the Curious George Foundation to help creative children and prevent cruelty to animals. In 1996, she made major donations to the Boston Public Library and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She was also a long-time supporter of the Longy School of Music. The Reys spent twenty summers in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, to enable H.A. Rey to better observe the stars for his astronomy writing. They became an integral part of the Waterville community and their legacy is honored by The Margret and H.A. Rey Center and the Curious George Cottage located there.
Dr. Lena Y. de Grummond, a professor in the field of library science (specializing in children's literature) at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. contacted the Reys in 1966 about the university's new children's literature collection. H.A. and Margret made a donation of a pair of sketches at the time. In 1996, after Margret's death, it was revealed in her will that the entire literary estate of the Reys were to be donated to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at Southern Miss.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 24, 2013
The Curious George series have had a place in my heart because I was raised with him. He was a main staple during story time@ the library. I did have a feeling this would be the one where he would get in trouble. Sometimes I do think to myself, he is a monkey and he will cause trouble. Don't you people realize that! It is a cute story and George does redeem himself at the end of the story.
May 25, 2025
Curious George lives with his friend, the Man in the Yellow Hat. One day a girl in another apartment in their building invites him to a pizza party.
Note that in every other appearance of tMitYH/George's home, it's clearly a house and not an apartment.
George doesn't leave the kitchen to play games when the girl and her human guests do. Instead, he makes a huge mess of her mother's kitchen while unsupervised. The mom understandably says he'll have to leave, but all the children take his side so he gets to stay to make personal pizzas in funny shapes. Poor mom.
Note that in every other appearance of tMitYH/George's home, it's clearly a house and not an apartment.
George doesn't leave the kitchen to play games when the girl and her human guests do. Instead, he makes a huge mess of her mother's kitchen while unsupervised. The mom understandably says he'll have to leave, but all the children take his side so he gets to stay to make personal pizzas in funny shapes. Poor mom.
September 27, 2025
We're so proud of you for reading "Curious George and the Pizza Party!" You learned something wonderful - that sharing makes everything more fun, just like George discovered when he shared pizza with his friends. When you play with your toys or have snacks, remember how good it feels to share with others. George showed us that being curious is great, but being kind and sharing is even better! You're becoming such a thoughtful reader, and we love seeing you learn new things every day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2022
This was returned to my public library, and as I was checking it in, I decided to take a stroll down memory lane. This was one of my favorite books to check out of the library when I was a kid, and I think all kids will love George because he's so funny and adorable, and I still laugh at his crazy "monkey business" and antics to this day! Again, classic and timeless reads are the best!
December 27, 2021
George gets invited to a pizza party, and he is excited about attending. When George arrives at the party he discovers that everyone will make and eat their own pizza. While everyone is playing a game, George makes a mess in the kitchen.
February 2, 2017
Picture Book. Fun story about being curious, making mistakes, and fixing them. Fun illustrations as well.
September 5, 2017
Didn't really make sense.
December 30, 2017
Patsy made me. And this should definitely not be on my list.
February 1, 2018
One of the longer Curious George stories.
September 19, 2018
George makes a mess at a children's pizza party
November 27, 2018
“I loved it so much I want to give it 100 stars! I loved the naughty George and the tent or tablecloth sized dough he made and the shapes, the chef hat, and I love pizza! “ V, age 5
June 8, 2019
My favorite part was when George made a mess in the kitchen.
April 3, 2023
I am not a fan of monkeys…but Curious George is the BEST!!! My students loved this story!!!
July 1, 2023
A slightly different art style than I’m used to, but a classic Curious George story nonetheless.
Want to Read
March 19, 2024SM
June 13, 2025
J really liked the part where the dough was rolled out and covering the table. ;)
February 7, 2026
It was a very good recipe
May 13, 2026
Holt-Delhi library PJ story time 05-13-2026
March 9, 2019
We love Curious George books!
November 26, 2014
Synopsis: "George is going to a pizza party! He’s so excited. He loves pizza and parties. George promises to be on his best monkey behavior, but when he gets to the party and sees all of that pizza dough, George has an idea . . . a big idea that lands him in big trouble! A recipe for healthy veggie mini-pizzas is included."
My Review: Silly George! Munchkin loved this book. George as always does something naughty but always managed to make them right (which I am not a big fan of him getting away with doing things he is not supposed to do). This was a fun book to read on a pizza night, though we don't usually make our own, it was still a good way to keep him busy while it was cooking.
My Review: Silly George! Munchkin loved this book. George as always does something naughty but always managed to make them right (which I am not a big fan of him getting away with doing things he is not supposed to do). This was a fun book to read on a pizza night, though we don't usually make our own, it was still a good way to keep him busy while it was cooking.
April 19, 2012
Curious George is invited to a Pizza Party! To his surprise this is a pizza making party, not just a pizza eating party. He is so excited and curious, of course. While the other kids are playing a game George gets in to trouble making a big mess with the pizza dough. He is caught cutting shapes out of the pizza dough with scissors. Before the girl's mom gets too mad the kids express their excitement for the oddly shaped dough. In the end, it was a great party and they made lots of great pizza. This book is good to teach sequencing.
March 24, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this book to my 3 year old granddaughter. It's not a 'hyper' George book and was really fun. George gets to go to a pizza party a neighbor girl was putting on. He didn't know what it was but once he got there he did have fun, but then he became very sad but with the help of the children they help him find his smile again.
April 18, 2011
These additional Curious George are rather formulaic. This one involves George being curious about pizza, messing up the party, everyone helps him clean up, and then they discover a new, fun way to make the pizza. Same story as so many of the newly-written CG stories.
March 13, 2011
My book has a misprint on the cover...it just says Curious George and the Pizza haha!
July 4, 2011
We may base her 4th birthday party on this books. Gianna loves curious George.
January 17, 2014
My boys love pizza so this was fun to read! I loved how George became curious and made some fun shapes. A house, a stop sign, a rainbow, and one that looked strikingly like himself.
December 4, 2014
George got in trouble, but he was allowed to stay because he cleaned up the kitchen. The other kids helped him too. Great story!
June 3, 2015
We love this sweet, little monkey. We totally get his curiosity.
June 30, 2015
Pretty cute book about George being curious about the pizza dough. Teaches responsibilitly, like most Curious George books, in that he and the others clean his mess.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews