Tag Archives: Food Trucks

MG – Mabuhay!

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Sterling, Zachary. Mabuhay! Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-73860-5. $12.99. 240 p. Grades 3-7.

Siblings J.J. and Althea have two things in common. They both have trouble fitting in at school, and they both despise working for their parents. Their parents run a Filipino food truck called The Beautiful Pig, and expect their children to help out because “family comes first,” as their mother often reminds them. Spending a lot of time around their parents’ place of work means they hear a lot of Filipino folklore, and these tales all seem to end with an important lesson J.J. and Althea must learn. One day after work, the family arrives home to find Tito Arvin has arrived from the Philippines. His impromptu visit comes with lamentations about life back home and dreams about a monster who is after their family, a dream both J.J. and Althea have on the same night. Suddenly, the witches and monsters from Filipino folklore are more than just fairy tale creatures, and J.J. and Althea work together to save their heritage and their family.

THOUGHTS: Author Zachary Sterling weaves Filipino folklore with humor and adventure to create a heartwarming story about family, friendship, and food. The illustrations are vibrant and expressive. Tagalog words are used throughout and defined at the bottom of the page, and Sterling includes a Filipino recipe for Chicken Adobo in the back of the book. This graphic novel is a must-have and must-read for middle grade students.

Graphic Novel

YA – Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love

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Reck, Jared. Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love. Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 978-1-524-71611-0. 306 p. $17.99. Grades 7-10.

Oscar Olsson knows exactly what he wants to do with his life after high school: work on his family’s food truck, Hej Hej!, with his Swedish grandfather and longtime guardian, “Farfar.” In fact, the sooner that future arrives, the better. He views senior year as a series of endless hoops to jump through, though he does enjoy his independent study in the culinary lab. Unfortunately, Oscar gets roped into a cafeteria food waste reduction project spearheaded by Ivy League hopeful Mary Louise Messinger, a.k.a. Lou. Hundreds of rescued apples, batches of cider, and trays of crisp later, laser-focused Lou has worked her way onto the food truck and into Oscar and Farfar’s lives … and maybe into Oscar’s heart? But an overheard comment reminds him that Lou thinks he is beneath her, a loser with no serious plans for his future. Hints dropped throughout the narrative cue readers to an upcoming wrench in Oscar’s plans, possibly a tragic one, and when the moment arrives it is, indeed, devastating. Jared Reck’s pitch-perfect sophomore novel perfectly captures the way that life can be hilarious one moment and heartbreaking the next. Main and supporting characters are well-developed and distinctive, especially the unforgettable Farfar and his beloved cat Koopa, as is the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, setting.

THOUGHTS: This winning story about food trucks, family, friendship, and first love is fantastic from start to finish.

Realistic Fiction          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

MG – Parked

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Svetcov, Danielle. Parked. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2020. 978-0-399-53903-9. 383 p. $17.99. Grades 5-8.

Jeanne Ann loves books, watching her mom cook, and normalcy. But when her mother suddenly quits her job and moves the duo across the country to San Francisco, life is anything but normal. Forced to live in their orange van named the Carrot, Jeanne Ann struggles with her mother’s lack of a job all while worrying about school starting in the fall. Cal lives across the street from the parked van and has recently been kicked out of school after graffiting an image on a courtyard wall. Curious about his new “neighbors”, Cal tries to help Jeanne Ann in various ways. The two slowly become friends and Cal tries to get Jeanne Ann to enroll in the middle school he will attend in the fall. But with the local beautification committee trying to get rid of the line of vagrant parked vans on the street, time is running out for both of them.

THOUGHTS: This debut novel from Danielle Svetcov does a wonderful job weaving a story together of two “troubled” teens while delicately addressing homelessness. Middle school students will enjoy the story and connect with the themes of friendship, family, and self-acceptance.

Realistic Fiction          Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh SD

Elem. – ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat

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Raúl the Third. ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat. Versify, 2020. 978-1-328-55704-9. Unpaged. $14.99. Grades K-2.

Little Lobo and his friends, from the Pura Belpré Honor Book ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market, return for more rollicking fun. This time, Little Lobo is asked to deliver lunch to the professional wrestlers in town for a big show. Little Lobo, his dog Bernabé, and his friend Kooky Dooky the rooster proceed to guide readers through a colorful marketplace of food carts where each delicious offering sounds better than the last. The food carts themselves are examined and explored, as well as the myriad of offerings. As in the first book, Spanish language terms are used extensively, sometimes translated in text, other times readers will go searching for the extensive glossary in the back of the book. The illustrations, in a rainbow of dusky colors, are lively and full of action, begging to be pored over. The text is never simplistic or overly explanatory, relying on readers to explore the Spanish language terms on their own. Unfortunately, the admittedly non-inclusive glossary frequently omits words specifically used in speech bubbles or pull out comments, assuming the reader will have the initiative (and ability) to locate a Spanish/English dictionary or look up the term on the internet.  Nevertheless, it is a marvelously fun introduction to Mexican food and culture.

THOUGHTS:  A must purchase for elementary libraries. The brilliant illustrations by Elaine Bay will enthrall readers, encouraging  multiple readings and the litany of Mexican foods will leave readers very hungry!

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD