Super Boba Cafe

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

A sweet and magical new middle-grade graphic novel about a boba café, an earthquake-causing monster, and an unforgettable summer

In the fog laden hills of San Francisco sits a sleepy independent boba café. Run by Jing Li and guarded by her kitty Bao, it comfortably fades into the background. But inside the boba café, there’s a secret. Jing is the keeper of the monster of San Francisco. Each day she prepares one giant boba for nine hours to feed it.

When Jing’s granddaughter, Aria, comes to stay with her for the summer she makes it her mission to turn the café around. Aria is quickly aided by Bao, who gives birth to eight perfect kittens. Aria spreads the news of the boba cat café on social media and overnight it is overrun with excited customers. Each day Nainai Li (Grandma Li) finds reasons to close the café but the demand only increases.

When she opens, the hill monster is left hungry and small earthquakes begin to plague the city. When Aria secretly follows her Nainai to the hill monster cave she isn’t sure what awaits. Will Aria be able to reason with the monster or become its new favorite meal? Or will she disturb its underground existence and cause the Big One?

About the Author

Nidhi Chanani is a freelance illustrator, cartoonist, and writer. Born in Calcutta and raised in suburban Southern California, she creates because it makes her happy-with the hope that it can make others happy too. Her debut graphic novel, Pashmina, received starred reviews from SLJ and PW, was a JLG Selection, a YALSA Top Ten Great Graphic Novel for Teens, and was reviewed in The New York Times, among other honors. She has a number of other comics and picture books out in the world as well, including Binny's Diwali, Jukebox, and What Will My Story Be?. Chanani draws and dreams every day with her husband, kid, and their kittens in the San Francisco Bay Area.