Food Truck Fest!

"Some trucks have ovens, others have grills./ They're kitchens on wheels, without the frills," writes Penfold (The Littlest Viking) as food trucks gather on an island for a festival. After caravanning to their destination, the trucks set up shop, offering traditional fare ("Folks settle down with their hot dogs and ices, / burritos, kebabs, pretzels, and slices") as well as offerings for diehard foodies ("Kimchi tacos, that's no illusion./ Korean and Mexican make a tasty fusion"). And nobody minds the long lines because there are plenty of free samples. The story ostensibly follows one family's journey to the fair, but within a few pages the panoply of eccentrically styled trucks (including one named "Pho Sho" and a fish taco truck with a surfboard on top), their hipster crews, and the multicultural, multigenerational crowd become the real stars. Dutton's high-spirited illustrations capture the expansive exuberance of a collective day out, and his crafty, cut-out aesthetic feels right on the mark for this down-to-earth, artisanal cuisine and its scrappy, hardworking purveyors. Ages 2-6. Author's agent: Susan Ginsburg, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Mar.)

PreS-Gr 1-- An excited young family of four is getting ready for the big day as the food truck crews are busy preparing, cleaning, mixing, mincing, slicing, and baking. This bouncing story in rhyme has the catchy refrain, "Let's get moving, no time to rest. Everybody's going to the food truck fest!" The few obstacles that stand in the family's way of arriving on time allow readers to admire the crafty, detail-rich single- and double-page artwork. Dutton's digitally enhanced gouache illustrations are intricate and inviting, and they beautifully match the upbeat, playful narrative. The festival attendees and truck vendors display a refreshingly diverse range of ethnicity, race, size, shape, and age. The result is a cheerful cacophony of excitement and activity. VERDICT Pair with Mark Todd's Food Trucks! or Peter Stein's Trucks Galore for a lively, attention-grabbing storytime. Recommended for picture book shelves.--Brianne Colombo, Fairfield Free Public Library, NJ