Taco Tuesdays

November 1, 2024

Gr 5 Up-It's summer vacation in California, and 12-year-old Dulce D�az wants to be at the beach, not helping at the family restaurant. Dulce is frustrated about the restaurant's remodeling, but no one is listening to her. Julian DeMarco, also 12, has just moved to California from New York with his mom. He is frustrated with the move but neither of his food vlogger parents, who are trying to save their marriage, are listening to him either. Julian and Dulce have a meet-cute when Julian collides with Dulce, who is serving customers dressed as the "Taco Tuesdays" taco. It's a rough start to friendship, but with the help of a cooking class, a connection (and a crush) develops. Julian and Dulce learn from each other, and together they find a creative, productive way to have their families listen to their ideas while supporting their values. Learning to be unique individuals with talents and abilities is positively explored within the context of family and community. The duo's crush is sweet and age-appropriate. Interactions between the characters are constructive, and advocating for self and others is modeled. VERDICT This fast-paced book with relatable characters will appeal to readers and parents alike, especially those interested in food, cooking, and family-run businesses. Highly recommended for collections.-Jane Scott

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2024
Tweens cook up traditional recipes and romance in their race to save a beloved restaurant. Ever since seventh grader Dulce D�az's great-grandmother, Bisabuela, passed away, the family's Mexican restaurant has struggled to drum up enough business. Now, with a new Taco World chain restaurant competing for business across the street, Dulce's family must get creative to stay afloat--but Dulce doesn't think the gimmicks they're trying feel authentic to Bisabuela's memory. Flor, Dulce's older sister, plans to host a cooking-themed summer camp, but Dulce is mortified to find that the most obnoxious boys in school, along with the cute new kid, have enrolled. Healthy competition ensues; meanwhile, Dulce and Italian American new boy Julian DeMarco grow closer over their love of cooking. Julian, who's reeling from his food vlogger parents' separation and moving from New York to California, wants to help Dulce save the restaurant. Together with friends from camp, Dulce and Julian work to bring customers in before it's too late, and they'll need Bisabuela's recipes to do it. Warm dialogue and authentic emotions propel the plot toward a satisfying conclusion. Readers will be left hungry for more as they root for Dulce and her family in this heartwarming tale of resilience, tradition, and community. A flavorful story that serves up a satisfying blend of friendship and determination.(Fiction. 9-13)

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January 1, 2025
Grades 4-7 It's the summer before seventh grade, and Dulce would rather be anywhere other than helping out at her family's Mexican restaurant, which has been losing business since a big chain restaurant, Taco World, opened nearby. Meanwhile, Julian's world is upended after his parents separate, and he moves to California with his mom for a fresh start. Both middle-schoolers get off on the wrong foot after an embarrassing first meeting, but they start spending more time together after Julian's mom offers to use her food vlog to promote the restaurant and (to spark some revenue) a cooking camp. As the days progress, Dulce's and Julian's feelings for each other grow. But when Julian's mom contemplates buying Fidelia from Dulce's family, the tweens must open up to their families about how they feel about everything. Mancillas' novel comes from both protagonists' points of view and brings up common issues, such as prejudice and relatable family disputes. This new Wish Novel shows that, at the end of the day, honesty is the best ingredient of all.

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