Stef Soto, Taco Queen

Stef’s dad attends the city council meeting that night. He asks if Stef will come read his speech for him, but scared and unwilling, Stef refuses, saying, “I just want to go home” (127). Stef calls Amanda to discuss the Viviana Vega situation, but before they can make a plan, Stef’s mom calls her away to watch the meeting on TV.

The meeting starts with people complaining about how food trucks are unsanitary and stealing other food jobs. Hearing the complaints makes Stef angry people are tearing down Tía Perla, and she thinks, “I can’t believe I’m not there to stick up for her” (131). She insists she and her mom need to go to the meeting to support her dad. Her mom agrees.

Stef arrives at the meeting just in time to speak. Rushing up to the podium, Stef adds to her dad’s speech, explaining how important Tía Perla is to her family and how the food truck drivers just want a fair chance like everyone else. Of the three measures up for debate, the only one that passes is the one saying food trucks need to be clean. After the meeting, most drivers head to the commissary, but Stef’s dad just wants to go home. Stef doesn’t understand why he doesn’t want to celebrate because, after all, “isn’t this exactly what we wanted?” (138).

One of Stef’s teachers watched the meeting and tells Stef she should be proud because “you’re quite persuasive when you speak from your gut” (140). Stef gets an idea to send Viviana Vega a letter explaining the art dance and why it’s so important, asking if the singer will make an appearance.

After school the next day, Stef’s dad picks her up in Tía Perla, which has a “for sale” sign in one window. When Stef asks why, her dad says it’s because the truck looks too old and can’t compete with the newer, shinier ones in the city. Stef is angrier than she thought she would be, and she’s surprised to realize that, though she’s wished the food truck would roll out of her life, “now that it’s happening, I want to slam on the brakes” (144). That afternoon, Stef gets a generic letter from Viviana Vega’s record label. She realizes her letter probably never even got to the singer, which makes her feel hopeless.

At the final planning session for the dance, everything seems all set—refreshments are ready to go, invitations have been sent, and the decorations will go up the following day. Finally, someone asks about Viviana Vega, and Stef tells the truth—that the singer isn’t coming. The kids are disappointed until Julia announces her parents will hire a DJ. Stef tries to argue that Arthur made a playlist, but no one listens. Stef leaves, feeling terrible because “Julia is the center of attention again, and I’m the girl most likely to smell like taco sauce” (149).

Stef decides not to go to the dance. After school on Friday, Julia’s mom asks Stef’s dad to take Julia to the dance. He agrees, and Julia comes home with Stef, where the girls actually get along. Stef asks why Julia doesn’t just take the bus to the dance. Julia reveals her parents barely trust her on the bus to school and that if anything goes wrong “it’s, like, call the FBI or something” (153). Julia raids Stef’s closet for clothes and gets them both dressed, ignoring Stef’s insistence she isn’t going to the dance.

At school, Julia and Stef find the power is out and people are leaving because the dance isn’t happening. Stef feels devastated her class won’t raise money for art supplies, and though she wants to go home, she thinks “part of me knows we can’t just leave this mess behind us” (157). Suddenly, she realizes they can use Tía Perla and runs out to make sure her dad doesn’t leave.

Stef and her dad fire up the taco truck to start cooking and playing music. The kids put out a bag for donations, which is full by the end of the night, and Stef can’t remember the last time she had so much fun. Afterward, she and her friends ride home in Tía Perla with the windows down and music blaring. Stef can’t quite believe it, and she thinks, “I don’t even care who sees us” (160).

At home, Stef and Julia stay up late talking. Stef’s mom tells them to keep it down because Stef’s dad has to be up early to talk to a potential buyer for Tía Perla. Suddenly, Stef realizes what to do so her dad doesn’t have to sell the truck, and she frantically collects art supplies, thinking, “I’m going to come through for Tía Perla like she came through for me” (162). The girls touch up the truck’s paint job, and Stef changes the name to The Taco Queen.

Before the potential buyer comes the next morning, Stef reveals the newly painted truck to her parents. They are amazed and thrilled, and they decide to keep the truck. When the potential buyer comes, Stef’s dad meets him in the driveway and apologizes but “she’s not for sale after all” (166).