Just So Stories

Harper Collins Australia

• ISBN: 9780063228634
• ISBN 10: 0063228637
• Imprint: Quill Tree Books
• RRP: $14.99

This was a delightful read and has lots of layers to explore for any astute reader. I have to say I’m not personally a fan of boba[bubble] tea but was willing to try it when The Kid was keen to. As it turned out, neither of us really went for it. But, I have long been a big fan of amigurumi – as a matter of fact, the pics below popped up in my FB memories from 6 years ago, just today, and are some of my favourites (and sorely tempted my $$)!

Pearl is not like the rest of her family. She is not ‘techy’ at all. It neither interests nor excites her. But she finds immense joy in crafting, especially crochet and ever since the family trip to Taiwan and her discovery of amigurumi, that has become an ongoing passion for her.

Feeling her mother’s impatience and disapproval of this old-fashioned pursuit, when Pearl isn’t crocheting in her bedroom watching Chinese movies on her laptop, she’s hanging out at her favourite tea shop, Boba Tea, where Aunty Cha, owner and tea maker extraordinaire, is both her mentor and confidante. When Pearl discovers Aunty Cha is considering closing the shop due to both financial and family pressures, she is distressed and concieves a plan to help her by selling her amigurumi to raise funds.

Pearl’s journey through entrepeneurship is a bumpy ride, with a lot of obstacles to overcome and a lot of problems arising that have little to do with actual money: friendships, her relationship with family, coming to terms with her motivation and, certainly, realising that commercialising one’s passion does not always make it more pleasurable.

Pearl is only a sixth-grader but she does a mighty fine job of teaching herself business principles along with gaining insight into her own personality and reaching compromises that mean everybody is happy.

I would happily add this to a number of titles I’ve read and enjoyed that feature Asian/Anglo protagonists. Many of these found their way onto our library shelves particularly in one of my schools where we had about an 85% Asian-Australian population who were delighted to see themselves in books that reflect their cultural background, the diaspora of their family and heritage into other countries and the often tricky balancing between two cultures in a contemporary setting.

Australian authors Rebecca Lim and Shirley Marr are both extremely adept in this for MG readers. And the American counterparts I have also promoted: Kelly Yang, and for YA readers, Joanna Ho and Jessie Q. Sutanto have been very well-received.

I love that Pearl is wholly American and is also not only very conscious of her Taiwanese heritage, but proud of it as well as knowledgeable about it. Including a recipe for Aunty Cha’s delicious sparkling mango green tea boba in the back matter, this will definitely hit a sweet spot with your readers from around Year 5 to Year 8. Definitely a 5 🍵🍵🍵🍵🍵 worth sipping and savouring!