FOOD TRUCK FIASCO

In this odd-couple duo’s second outing, kids see that things taste better when shared with friends.

Frank, a hot dog health nut sporting glasses and a hat, is chill, from his cup of tea to his yoga mat to his book (Art of Chill, natch). Bean, a kidney bean in a new hat and apron matching his new food truck, could not be more exuberant about his new business selling donuts: “This is fun on wheels….This is a rolling party.” The pair’s ideas about yummy donut toppings are also very different: pickles(!) versus candy. Frank agrees to meet nervous Bean at Food Truck Friday to show his support against Mad Dog, who wins every food competition she enters. But Frank’s solution—his own booth hocking plain oatmeal—is questionable. It lacks the “zip” and “zing” that Bean knows food needs. But when Frank’s Zen meets Bean’s zip and zing, friendship bowls are the result, and they are a hit, winning the duo first place. Kolar has nailed facial expressions for his main characters, and the sly humor in the illustrations will tickle the funny bones of those savvy enough to spy it. The four chapters are broken up into medium-length sentences that balance repetition and humor while building kids’ reading skills.

Load up on zip and zing: Oatmeal mornings will never be the same again.