Beth Greenway

I really liked this book and its emphasis on foods from different cultures. The big idea of the story was to introduce different foods and explain an important aspect of live on certain islands in Hawaii. There was no conflict or point of suspense, but it would still be fun and interesting for children because of both the language and illustrations. There were phrases that rhymed such as “The trucks all rev their engines up and head out soon their way: it’s time to feed the working cars this bright Hawaiian day.” The rhyming gives this story a fun and positive tone as it helps students with phonological awareness skills. The author also personified the food trucks, which keeps children engaged since they are connecting to trucks as they would with human characters. Until reading this story, I did not know food trucks were a staple in some parts of Hawaii. This is a piece of cultural information students can learn about Hawaii. However, there are foods from many different cultures in the story. For example, one food truck had manapua, which is traditional to the people who live in Hong Kong. There was also a truck that served Korean barbecue. On each page, there is a new truck that introduces a food that did not originate in America, which could make this book relatable for children who are from other countries. It could also help American students realize that there are many different foods that you can find and try from other cultures while still living in America. The illustrations are colorful and silly, showing funny pictures such as a food truck surfing and giraffes eating food that is flying in the air. This book is recommended for students in grades K-2, which I think is appropriate since they would benefit the most intellectually from reading this book.… (altro)