Stef Soto, Taco Queen

Description

A heartwarming middle grade about family, friendship, and finding your voice (plus, tacos!). Seventh grader Estefania "Stef" Soto is itching to shake off the onion-and-cilantro embrace of Tia Perla, her family's taco truck. She wants nothing more than for her dad to get a normal job and for Tia Perla to be put out to pasture. It's no fun being known as the "Taco Queen" at school. But just when new city regulations are proposed, and her family's livelihood is threatened, she will have to become the truck's unlikely champion. In this fun and multicultural middle grade novel, Stef will embrace her identity and discover what matters most.

Jennifer Torres works as a freelance journalist and leads an early literacy campaign on behalf of the University of the Pacific. She is the author of Flor and Miranda Steal the Show, Stef Soto, Taco Queenand Finding the Music/En pos de la musica and lives with her husband and two little girls in central California.

[An] engaging glimpse of food-truck culture through the Soto family's sacrifices, values, and hardships. Once readers get past the drama, they'll cheer for Stef Soto, her family, and Tia Perla.--Kirkus Reviews [A] well written novel about family and pride and would be a great addition to the library.--School Library Connection Spanish words and humorous banter pepper the dialogue, and the dual stories of the threatened family business and Stef's issues with classmates make a nice, age-appropriate balance that validates Stef's experience while pointing to a world beyond middle school politics. Readers will be happy to snack on this....--The Bulletin The bones of this polished debut are familar...but Torres fleshes them out with authenticity, humor, and heart. Stef's fresh, honest voice will resonate with a broad swath of readers, as will the relatable struggles she negotiates.--Publishers Weekly The core of the story--friendship and the importance of family--wins out, leaving tweens with a satisfying, gentle read.--School Library Journal This cheery, relatable story features short and sweet chapters with plenty of Spanish words and phrases sprinkled in and a cheer-worthy main character in Stef, a happy, funny girl who adores art above all.--Booklist Young readers will feel a kinship with Stef as she struggles to spread her wings in this engaging and relatable middle-grade novel about growing up.--Horn Book