  | Miss Betti what is this? : how Detroit's school lunch lady got good food on the menu Author: Nargi, Lela | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Miss Betti knew kids in Detroit's schools were not getting wholesome, nourishing lunches. As the district lunch lady, Miss Betti had the power to make a change. She started small and soon she was filling lunch trays with a rainbow of tasty choices. She also started an urban gardening program.
| Illustrator: | Uroda, Kristen |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (10/01/25)
School Library Journal (06/27/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 06/27/2025 Gr 1–4—Betti Wiggins was a school lunch administrator in Michigan who decided to make some big changes to the school lunch program there. The schools were providing meals that were not particularly nutritious or appealing to her young patrons; Wiggins pushed to get better vegetables, switching out iceberg for romaine, more local produce, and removing sugary flavored milk. She also encouraged schools to start school gardens and salad bars so that students could get a better idea of, and appreciate, where their food came from. The cheerful, modern artwork is an excellent counterpart to the concise and interesting text. This would be an excellent book for teaching students about community workers, food production, their own school community, as well as nutrition and healthy food choices. VERDICT With themes of making a difference, taking care of others, and the inclusion of African American innovators, this is an excellent addition to nonfiction collections for elementary students.—Debbie Tanner - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
