Killer Pizza (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Taylor keeps the action coming at a brisk pace…a fun diversion.”—Publishers Weekly

“A delectable choice for horror fans as well as reluctant readers.”—School Library Journal

“A monster is roaming the nights in Hidden Hills, Ohio. But why worry about monsters when you can sink your teeth into a Killer Pizza? Greg Taylor serves up a hot slice of horror that I couldn’t put down!”—R.L. Stine

“This much-needed book definitely fills a gap in horror stories for young readers left by the end of the Goosebumps series.”—VOYA

Product Description

Pizza you’ll die for!

Toby McGill dreams of becoming a world-famous chef, but up until now, his only experience has been watching the Food Network. When Toby lands a summer job at Killer Pizza, where pies like The Monstrosity and The Frankensausage are on the menu, things seem perfect. His coworkers, Annabel and Strobe, are cool, and Toby loves being part of a team. But none of them are prepared for what’s really going on at Killer Pizza: It’s a front for a monster-hunting organization!

Learning to cook pizzas is one thing, but killing hideously terrifying monsters? That’s a whole other story. Still, if Toby quits Killer Pizza, will monsters take over his town?

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312373791
• ISBN-13: 978-0312373795
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #283,996 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A deliciously fun read!, May 28, 2009

By	J. Williamson "JargonTalk" (Bucks County, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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The title alone on Greg Taylor's new novel Killer Pizza was enough to raise my interest, then I almost passed on it. Now I'm glad that I got it. It's a book that's really geared for young adults, and must admit that it's as darkly engaging as any book by R.L Stine.

Really got it for my son, who's in his early teens. The story revolves around 14 year old Toby, who finds himself working at his town's new Pizza parlor along with his co-workers Strobe and Annabel. But Toby soon discovers that the pizzeria is a front for a clandestine monster-hunting organization. Before long they find themselves some dangerous nocturnal monsters that are a combination between vampire, werewolf and gargoyle... and these creatures are intelligent, too.

This is a fine good versus evil tale, and is fast paced, yet entertaining. Author Greg Taylor does a good job describing the scenes, and all in all, it's a good read, especially for the 12- or 13-year-old who doesn't suffer from nightmares. The vocabulary is right in line for the average junior high level reader, though some may consider the content to be a bit more violent and intense than they would expect. But for a mature early teen, it's a great read.

My son and I both give this one a 5-star rating, and will be looking for Greg Taylor's next book. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Killer Pizza!, March 7, 2009

By	Ryan Kelley "Professional Shark Tamer" (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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I never thought I would be reviewing a book called Killer Pizza. Seriously, I told someone I was reading this book the other day and they thought I was joking. That alone, makes this light-YA read worth the price alone.

Killer Pizza reminds me of so many things mixed together. It reminded me of R.L Stine's Fear Street series, that I used to read religiously as a pre-teen/middle schooler. It also reminded me a bit of B-movies you could catch late at night on cable. It's a completely cheesy, fun, action filled book that will delight most young (and even some older!) readers who occasionally find themselves yearning for a good monster-tale.

The story revolves around 14 year old Toby, who finds himself working at his town's new Pizza parlor. Toby is a great, somewhat stereotypical protagonist. He is a good kid, who does the right thing and reminds you of kids you grew up around that you might have hung out with at one point or another. He's a relatable guy and that's a great thing in a story aimed at teens/younger readers...they need characters they can feel close to....Toby fills this role well. Toby's kitchen-work soon gets dicey when he finds himself facing off against a slew of grotesque beasties with his two fellow co-workers. It's a completely enticing and fun read and you should definetly give it a shot if you want something light and adventurous! I really enjoyed it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, June 18, 2009

By	TeensReadToo.com "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

Toby thought he was getting a summer job and that it might conveniently give him some needed experience for his future dream job as a chef in his own restaurant. Little did he know what applying at and scoring a job at Killer Pizza would mean.

Two other teens, Annabel and Strobe, start training at Killer Pizza at the same time as Toby. A fourth teen, named Doug, seems like a reluctant future employee when he arrives to join their team. The training is intense as the four teens learn recipes, oven skills, and the general rules involved in working for the popular pizza joint. They seem like a pretty good team except for Doug. He just doesn't seem that into it.

During the early weeks at Killer Pizza, Toby gets home pretty beat, and when some spectacular nightmares start interrupting his sleep, he's unnerved. The dreams seem so real, and the glimpses of a terrifying monster he experiences soon take on a meaning he never imagined possible.

The innocent summer job turns out to be a cover operation for a group of monster hunters. Disinterested Doug turns out to be Harvey, the head of the whole operation. Toby, Annabel, and Strobe are being recruited as MCO's - Monster Combat Officers. Their employment at Killer Pizza has been a test to determine their suitability as candidates for the MCO Academy.

As soon as their participation begins, they learn that monsters really do exist. In fact, their small town may be infested with hideous monsters known as guttata. Disguised as humans, these guttata are attacking and infecting innocent citizens with the hope of taking over the place.

What follows is a fabulous monster hunt complete with crossbows, explosive devices, deadly talons and fangs, and intense battle scenes. The three MCO trainees are now involved in stakeouts, illegal breaking and entering, and car chases instead of kneading pizza dough and slicing pies.

KILLER PIZZA is an action-packed horror romp sure to interest middle grade readers and teens, especially fans of authors like Darren Shan and R.L. Stine. Author Greg Taylor uses his previous screenwriting experience to create scenes that crackle with excitement and leap off the pages. This first novel offers great summer reading potential.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"