Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ho (We Who Produce Pearls) and Ren (Night Market Rescue) team up for a kawaii-styled look at cultural belonging that features bubble teas as protagonists. In tradition-steeped Milk Tea Town, "residents prided themselves on their subtle shades of brown, quality ingredients, and classic milk tea flavor," standards that the whole community upholds. But the birth of Mindy, a boba baby displaying bands of green, white, and pink, heralds a generation of multihued beverages that "many thought were questionably probably not quite milk teas at all!" Wanting to be "milk tea enough," Mindy takes classes and researches the beverage's multifaceted history, only to find that "the most classic milk tea flavor is one that keeps on changing." Tea-oriented puns (a tea ancestor's running away with a pudding "caused quite the stir") pepper this message-forward read that includes historical beats. Bright mixed media and digital art foregrounds anthropomorphized boba cups that feature tapioca-ball eyes. Contextualizing comics panels and creators' notes conclude. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. illustrator's agent: Jennifer Rofé, Andrea Brown Literary. (June)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Boba tea Mindy, who's pink, white, and green, stands out against the other brown teas in Milk Tea Town. The grownups fear that Mindy and her colorful friends represent the end of classic milk tea, but the kids teach the adults that their town has always been a place of changing flavors and ingredients. The message about celebrating diversity is cleverly packaged, complete with tea puns; the charming mixed-media art shows off the beverages' rainbow colors. A history of pearl milk tea is appended. (c) Copyright 2025. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An anthropomorphic cup of boba tea named Mindy learns a lesson in identity. "Milk Tea Town [is] steeped in tradition"; residents are proud of their "subtle shades of brown, quality ingredients, and classic milk tea flavor." With brighter hues of green, white, and pink, little Mindy isn't like those who've come before her. Soon enough, other tiny untraditional milk teas with their swirly straws and innovative ingredients pop up, too. This generation of colorful beverages scandalizes the grown-ups, who fret over the deviation from the classic milk tea tradition and wonder what it means. Mindy frets about not being "milk tea enough." But as the young bobas explore their heritage through "culture classes," a research mission unveils the truly colorful history of milk tea. Ho and Ren charmingly tackle big themes such as cultural belonging through tea puns and cutely illustrated boba drinks. The younglings' presentation of their family trees to the grown-ups reveals how "we've always mixed things up," adapting and adopting new ingredients throughout history--a reference to generational identity in the Asian diaspora. To move forward is to keep up with tradition, as the elders come to understand. A short comic and notes from Ho and Ren provide additional history and information. A buoyant story of belonging.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
