Noodle & Bao

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

Perfect for fans of Animal Crossing and Measuring Up, this whimsical and empowering middle grade graphic novel follows a girl who helps her friend’s humble food cart stand its ground against the gentrification of their Chinatown neighborhood.

Momo has lived in Town 99 her entire life. She knows all its quirks and rhythms: the best places to buy fruit, practice tai chi in the park, and most of all, get the best meal: Noodle & Bao, run by Momo’s best friend, Bao, and their ah-ma, Noodle.But Town 99 is changing. Rent is becoming unaffordable for Momo and her parents, and even Noodle & Bao has been edged out of its storefront, which was just recently bought out by a new business venture—Fancé Café. Fancé is run by the ambitious Ms. Jujube and her henchmen, who claim they're only beautifying Town 99 with good business.Momo knows that’s not true, and knows that if she doesn’t do something, she’ll lose everything she loves about her neighborhood. From undercover recon to a cook-off proposal, protest signs to petitions, Momo and Bao are on a mission to protect Town 99. Will they succeed before it’s too late?

About the Author

Shaina Lu (she/her) is a queer Taiwanese American community artist exploring the intersection of art, education, and activism. She graduated from Wellesley College and Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she studied arts in education. When she’s not creating community art, she works with young artists and makers in Boston’s Chinatown. Most important, she drinks juice every day, and she is full of sugar. Say hello at shainadoesart.com.