Fresh Juice

Review
By The Horn Book

Daddy is indisposed, so Art, a Black boy, suggests they whip up some “sick-fighting juice” — but alas, the refrigerator is devoid of fresh produce. The pair commutes to the city center where visits to the farmers’ market, food co-op, and West African store prove fruitful (no pun intended), thanks to the lay advice of a multiethnic cast of community friends. When ginger root eludes them and a transportation hiccup leaves them stranded, Art’s stepfather, Dhillon, unexpectedly comes to the rescue. Once at home, Art’s stepfamily and their friends prepare and savor a juice remedy. Liu-Trujillo’s straightforward text and understated watercolor illustrations affirm multiracial households and non-traditional family structures. A STEM element (Dhillon uses a human-powered bike blender) adds to the informativeness of this tale of community healing. A juice recipe is appended.