The Takeout

A Filipina tween determines to save her family’s business by using secret Filipino folk magic in this energetic novel by Badua (This Is Not a Personal Statement). Twelve-year-old Mila Pascual, newly moved to Coral Beach, Calif., works at the Banana Leaf, her family’s Filipino Indian food truck, which is run by her father and his business partner, Mr. Ram. Food isn’t the only thing they serve, though; sometimes Mila covertly adds special magical tinctures to the recipes to help people, as when she whips up an elixir to assist a heartbroken girl in getting over a breakup. When white-cued twin television chefs Chip and Chaz Darlington, the Fab Foodie Brothers, open restaurant Marigold and Myth across the street from the food truck, Mila is at first excited to meet some celebrities. But once she realizes that their entrées are suspiciously like the Banana Leaf’s, she investigates with the help of Ajay, Mr. Ram’s nephew. Both Mila and Ajay are enterprising protagonists whose teamwork and dedication to their families add heart to this briskly paced magical adventure. Through Mila’s cheeky first-person narration, Badua tackles themes of family, identity, and perseverance. Ages 8–12. (May)