97 books like Pizza and Taco

Mexica is an Aztec Princess faced with her greatest challenge. She must pass her initiation test to be crowned the ruler of her people.

Set in the time of the Aztecs in what is now Mexico City, Mexica sets off to solve the three riddles with her (huge) cat, Elote, when unbeknownst to her the enemy of her people, the Tlaxcala, have launched an attack. Quickly they team up with a helpful Axolotl salamander who helps them find food and confuse the enemy… though not on purpose and make great strides in the initiation.

The twists and turns in this really wonderful story are quite a ride for the reader. The art is excellent and adds to the story and the atmosphere and is easy to follow for the young audience. What I particularly like about this book and this whole series, is that it features a princess character from… show more.

Ember is a very small boy, alone in a city and very overlooked.

He dreams of making friends and of going to school and fitting in. When he encounters a giant sea turtle named Lua who tells him of the island of Lost Creatures, which is where he went to school when he was small.

Lua and Ember travel together across the Ocean to find the school in some incredibly beautiful passages in the middle of the book. Their journey and his struggle to fit in at his new school make for an incredible middle grade graphic novel that really speaks to all children.

The art is just stunning and it’s an easy-to-follow and beautiful story. I’ve enjoyed this writer/artist’s other graphic novels and this new one doesn’t disappoint!

Ranger Ralph and his sidekick, Elvis, the deer return in this hilarious new issue of Ranger Ralph.

After a large frozen meal of Hungry Ranger dinners Ralph falls asleep in front of the news on the TV. Even Elvis falls asleep and he misses his date with Windy. To make it up to her he decides to gather a bouquet of flowers from the side of the road. An entire hive of bees seek their revenge and Rager Ralph is in trouble again!

Very cute short stories that kids will love. The slapstick humor, bright colors, and detailed art come together to make this a great series of comics. This new issue, released in 2023, is no exception to the quality that Ranger Ralph fans have come to expect. The reading level is perfect for middle grade readers.

In this magical and otherworldly graphic novel a village of desert dwellers were gifted by the moon spirit three enchanted moon moths and taught how to raise them so they would pollinate a special tree called “The Night Flower Tree”.

This miraculous tree bestows special gifts upon the desert people. Young Anya is to become a moth keeper and carry the “Moth Keeper’s Lantern”. This lantern keeps the moths from returning to their home in the stars and bound to earth.

This story is full of stunning artwork and magical scenes. Just an incredible coming-of-age story as Anya begins her apprenticeship. The reading level is spot on for ages 8 and up. A truly enchanting story.

Once your young reader has gained confidence and is ready to tackle some longer graphic novels, I think the Pizza and Taco series is a perfect step up.

Who doesn’t love pizza? Who doesn’t love tacos? Who would have thought of making them both heroes of a graphic novel? (Well, obviously, the answer to that question is Stephen Shaskan!) This perfect pair of delectable, delightful friends will have your reader laughing (and will possibly get their stomach grumbling!) 

Best buddies Pizza and Taco start out bored, but this book is anything boring! After several goofy ideas fail, the friends come up with a great one: throw a party! Of course, their plans go awry, including the sign mistakenly announcing a "Farty" instead of a "Party".  After reading this book, kids may not be able to look at a slice or a taco again without laughing.

I love everything A.S. King. She is my absolute favorite YA author. Her books are weird and thoughtful, and they stick in my head forever. Her award-winning Please Ignore Very Dietz is no different. Vera’s (former!) best friend Charlie has died. While she’s struggling with family stuff, and drinking stuff, and working at pizza place stuff, she’s being haunted by Charlie’s ghost who insists she tells the police what she knows. The story itself is quirky, and Vera’s narration is clever. And, then, of course, there’s a twist at the end! 

I love this charming book about the kindness that comes with friendship. Pen drawings accompany the text, which is at certain times silly, other times fun, and at the best of times poignant. Point in case:

“And I like you because

When I am feeling sad you don’t always cheer me up right away

Sometimes it is better to be sad."

I’m not sure every child would understand the significance of that sentence. But the words at some point in their lives will come back around. The book lists reasons why we like our friends, namely because they offer us kindness and empathy when we are down. And when we are up, they take pleasure in the moment right alongside us – a valuable lesson for kids.

A recent addition to the horror genre, this excellent debut novel excels in creating a surreal narrative drenched in dark atmosphere. To Break a Covenant centers around a terrifying, fractured faux-documentary about a town under control of a sinister presence. I dare you to read creepy descriptions of ‘found’ footage and not feel a chill as this mystery unfolds. 

I was teaching high school when this novel came out over twenty years ago, and it immediately struck a chord with me, and with my students. This story of a lifelong friendship and the pain that comes with growing up has so many great characters. But Carmen has always been my favorite. The relationship with her father, her emergence into the (literal) spotlight, and her willingness to speak her mind to her loved ones, make her, for me, the true heroine of this novel. One of my favorite moments is her surprise and wonder when the pants actually fit her, not just her skinny friends. The idea that she had access to all the things they did, regardless of her size, is a beautiful metaphor for living.