Discover the surprising history and global roots of favorite foods in The Traveling Taco by Mia Wenjen. A fun, fact-filled picture book perfect for curious kids, food lovers, and families who enjoy learning through reading.
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The Traveling Taco Book Review
Did you know many well-known dishes are food immigrants? The Al Pastor Taco traveled from Lebanon to Puebla, Mexico! French fries originated in Belgium! And pasta arrived in Italy long before Marco Polo visited China.
From pizza to pasta and ice cream to French fries, some of our favorite foods have a surprising history, and many of them have traveled far from where they originated!
The newly released book The Traveling Taco, The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods is an exploration of the history of kids’ favorite foods from around the world.
Mia Wenjen‘s The Traveling Taco is a deliciously engaging nonfiction picture book that takes readers on a vibrant, globe-trotting journey through the surprising and multicultural origins of our favorite foods.
Perfectly seasoned with bite-sized history, fun trivia, and a sprinkle of rhyming text, this book offers a flavorful reading experience that kids and adults alike will savor.
Young readers are treated to fascinating “Did You Know?” facts—like how the first fish and chips shop in London was started by a Jewish immigrant or that ice cream traces its roots to ancient China.
Each page is an invitation to explore how foods traveled and transformed to become beloved dishes in different parts of the world. The story cleverly weaves in cultural history, immigration, and innovation, encouraging curiosity and appreciation for global diversity.
Illustrator Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong brings each page to life with catchy, colorful illustrations that are both inviting and informative. The visual storytelling is enhanced by smaller maps sprinkled throughout the book, culminating in a large, world map at the end that invites kids to trace their favorite foods journeys.
I love the illustrations and layout in this book. They are a delicious visual blend of learning and fun!
My children and I were all drawn to this book and all the amazing facts it contained. We’ve been “Cooking Around the World” in our blogging series for many years now, as I help my children learn about the world while they were learning to cook.
This book is a perfect fit for this magical type of learning with kids.
You may also enjoy Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen too. We’ve enjoyed reading so many books through Read Your World, an organization that Mia cofounded to raise awareness about children’s books that celebrate diversity and inclusion, and to get more of these books into the hands of readers.
Here’s a peek at several of the other books we’ve shared as a super reviewer for Multicultural Children’s Book Day!
From the moment we peered into the book, I knew we would have to learn to cook or at least sample the foods from the story.
This book is full of facts about common favorite foods (such as ice cream, pasta, and pizza) and perhaps a few foods that are new to them too (like ceviche, pavlova, and jerk chicken). For you and for my kids, I’ve added below easy to cook recipes to make with your child as you enjoy these delicious book.
Recipes to Cook Featured in the Book The Traveling Taco
- Al Pastor Taco
- Ceviche
- Cheesecake
- Churros
- French Fries
- Fish and Chips
- Ice Cream
- Jerk Chicken
- Pasta
- Pavlova
- Pizza
- Rice Pudding
Want more ideas? Explore these Cooking Around the World Recipes with your child!
Whether your child is a budding foodie, a trivia lover, or simply enjoys bright and rhythmic read-alouds, The Traveling Taco delivers. It’s a book that not only entertains but also inspires deeper dinner table conversations and a hunger to explore new cultures—one bite at a time.
A flavorful and playful exploration of history, heritage, and the way food connects us all.
You may also enjoy these activities with your child…
