Yves Stening (text), Nigel Buchanan (illustrator), The Legend Lurking in Your Lunchbox, PublishCreative Books, November 2018, 32 pp., RRP $24.95 (hbk), ISBN 9780648008729
The third adventure in the ‘Dinner Detectives’ picture book series is Case #103: The Legend Lurking in Your Lunchbox; a humorous, simple and delightful tale of two children with a taste for curiosity.
Clementine and Aksel are on a mission to discover the origin of the word ‘sandwich’ as they get stuck in to their ‘two slices of bread with bits in the middle’ at school. Pertinent questions are raised on the nature and types of sandwiches, and how the terminology came about. Comedy is interweaved in the historical, geographical and cultural lessons, including stories of Captain Cook paying gratitude to the Earl of Sandwich for his magical travels, and Lord Sandwich ordering his dinner wrapped in bread. There is also a portion on the history behind the ‘hamburger sandwich’ dished in the middle, plus a side of facts about traditional sandwich-like meals from around the world. You can’t go past a delicious sandwich recipe and some cheeky humour to top off this problem-solving adventure!
With bold and bright digital illustrations, The Legend Lurking in Your Lunchbox neatly draws readers in to a world of culinary education that is sure to spark discussions and interest in cooking and trying new foods. A tastefully fun series to explore for children from age three and up.
There is a dedicated website for Dinner Detectives.
Reviewed by Romi Sharp
