FOOD TRUCKS! by Mark Todd
Food Trucks!
written and illustrated by Mark Todd
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; $16.99, Ages 4-8)
The food truck phenomenon has its roots in Los Angeles, and local writer-illustrator Mark Todd pays homage to food on wheels in Food Trucks! The thirty pages feature a variety of edibles highlighted in the fourteen trucks. Short rhymes mixed with food facts provide an amusing and informative read.
Amigo (Taco Truck)
What’s up?/Surf’s up!/Hang ten and then/Head on over to the taco truck!
Carne asada and empanadas/With rice and beans/Seem to really hit the spot!
Holy moly, guacamole!/How about a hot tamale?/Bean burrito or quesadilla?/We’ve got the whole enchilada.
Dare to add the haban~ero/If you like it REALLY hot!
Better Burger Builder Bus (Hamburger Truck)
The world’s largest burger weighed 2,014 pounds and was ten feet in diameter. Before it was topped with sixty pounds of bacon and forty pounds of cheese, it took a crane to flip the patty! Americans eat an average of three hamburgers a week, which amounts to nearly fifty billion burgers per year!
Each food truck has a distinct personality. Bubba Q, the barbecue truck, sports long horns and a nose ring. The grilled cheese truck, Cheddar Chuck, has a grater ornament atop the roof and side mirrors in the shape of cheese wedges. Curry in a Hurry, the Indian food truck, is adorned with tassels, beads, and brightly colored lights. These extra touches on the details, such as the broccoli hood ornament on Mr. Cobb the salad truck and Sprinkles the cupcake truck’s license plate, SWTOOTH, make for entertaining viewing.
Whether your child is a foodie or a picky eater, s/he will find something to enjoy in this tribute to movable culinary delights.
– Reviewed by Rita Zobayan