Little Lunch Truck

With eager eyes, a sweet smile, a jaunty striped awning, and an “EAT” sign on top, Little Lunch Truck is proud to be brown-skinned Chef Nina’s unfailing partner, making sure her tacos, smoothies, “famous Sweet Tater Fries,” and other items reach the hungry workers on their route. Today, there’s a new stop: a “dusty, dirty, busy... and loud” construction site, which, while “EXCITING!” is also a lot of vehicular muscle for the little gray truck to take in. As the protagonist enters the site, seven different vehicles stop working, one by one (“Little Lunch Truck drives by Backhoe digging a hole, and Backhoe stops digging”), and the food truck worries, “Are they mad that we interrupted their work?” Hardly—it’s the crew’s lunchtime, and they’re clamoring for Chef Nina’s specialties. “Come back tomorrow, little buddy!” says Bulldozer, as the workers and machines return to their jobs. In his solo debut, Beyl’s digitized pencil drawings have precise lines and bright colors that make Little Lunch Truck’s route fun to follow and cater to the fussiest truck fan, while the text exudes cheerful empathy for anyone who’s felt the urge to hang back in unfamiliar settings. Ages 2–5. [em]Agent: Elizabeth Bennett, Transatlantic Literary. (May) [/em]