Hope everyone’s November went well. I’m getting ready to try and focus on some holiday decorating and enjoying some of my favorite holiday drinks. What did your reading look like in November? I, as usual, finshed a lot of graphic novels. One of my favorites was Noodle and Bao, a food based adventure about community activism.
Noodle and Bao
Summary
This recently published graphic novel fits in with all the others with its focus about food and friendship. Described as perfect for Fans of Animal Crossing this book focuses on the spirit of a small Chinatown called Town 99.
Momo has lived in Town 99 since she was born. She knows the beats and rhythems of the city. The best place to buy fruit, watch Tai-Chi in the park, or her favorite spot to get a the best meal in town. Noodle and Bao, run buy Momo’s friend Bao and their grandmother Noodle.
The crew from Noodle and Bao run into trouble as the neighborhood is changing. They are being priced out as the rent increases. Noodle and Bao has even been edged out of its storefront by the mysterious Fancé Cafe. This cafe is run by ambitious Ms Jujube and her henchmen.
They claim they are improving Town 99 with new business. Momo however realizes this is not true and knows that if the people from Fancé Cafe are in charge, she will lose everything she loves about her neighborhood.
Then starts a great effort of community organizing, from petitions to a cooking competition. Noodle and Bao are out to protect Town 99 but are they too late?
Amazon: Noodle and Bao
Review
This piece was both informative and cute. The story was based on real issues that happened in Chinatowns around the US and Canada. It was a good primer about gentrification and the history of racist housing laws without reading like a text book.
I really enjoyed the art, and the way the text was formatted. Included with the English text was Chinese characters. The creator included various styles of Chinese. They also added other languages that would be spoken in a town like Town 99.
I’d rate this piece a solid four stars. The art was mostly black and white and done wonderfully but I prefer full color. So that is the only reason I didn’t give it five stars. The story was well constructed. I enjoyed the pages at the end of the book. They discussed the real issues facing Chinatowns.
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.
Have you read any books with two languages featured? Let me know in the comments.
Rose's Book Garden 