School Library Journal Review
Gr 4 Up--When Aria arrives in San Francisco, she's excited to spend some quality time with her grandmother. Jing seems happy to have Aria help out in her boba cafe at first, but Aria notices that her grandmother sometimes acts strange and secretive. Jing won't let Aria into the kitchen at all, and when Aria brings more customers into the cafe by using social media, Jing is more irritated than pleased by the crowds. When Aria finally learns Jing's secret, it's absolutely astonishing. Jing makes one enormous boba every day and delivers it to a monster that lives deep inside the earth. When this monster doesn't get enough to eat, it causes earthquakes under the city, and it keeps getting hungrier. It will be up to Aria (who recently escaped a monster of her own back home) to figure out a way to help save her grandmother, the boba cafe, and the city of San Francisco. This story has plenty of action and cute characters. Chanani's colorful illustrations are great at capturing the terrifying form of the monster, as well as the adorable prairie dogs and kittens that populate the world of this story. VERDICT For readers who enjoy funny, furry, and fast-paced adventures.--Andrea Lipinski
Horn Book Review
After an embarrassing mishap on social media, almost-fourteen-year-old Aria unplugs for the summer. She visits Nainai, her Taiwanese grandmother, in San Francisco, to help run her boba shop. When Bao, the cafe cat, gives birth to eight kittens, Aria attracts more customers by rebranding the shop as a boba cat cafe. But there are mysteries that she can't make sense of: prairie dogs hang out in the shop's back lot, Nainai gets strangely upset when the cafe fails to close on time, and the shop's kitchen is strictly off limits. Aria eventually learns that for nearly forty years her grandmother has been staving off an underground monster that rocks the city, triggering huge earthquakes unless it is fed -- and she decides to help free Nainai from this burden. Chanani's (Pashmina, rev. 1/18; Jukebox) inventive graphic novel, featuring an endearing granddaughter-grandmother relationship, explores themes of healing, making new friends, taking personal responsibility, and communicating across generations. The illustrations feature plenty of warmth and cartoonish cuteness. Scene-setting depictions of San Francisco highlight iconic sites, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of Fine Arts; images of bakeries, eateries, and small shops in residential neighborhoods create a vibrant sense of community. Jerry DearJanuary/February 2024 p.91 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A girl learns that there's more riding on her grandmother's boba shop than just making customers happy with sweet drinks. Thirteen-year-old Aria is going to visit Nainai, her Taiwanese paternal grandmother, in San Francisco for the summer (her mom's side of the family is Indian). The two quickly fall into a fun routine: exploring the city in the mornings before opening Super Boba and ordering takeout from local restaurants for dinner. Some things are strange, however: There's a bunch of prairie dogs living behind the shop, and every evening, Nainai sneaks off alone. Aria has a secret of her own--she's trying to put a terrible experience with bullying and social media behind her and is apprehensive about going online again. Initially, Aria is so focused on trying to help Nainai bring in much-needed customers that she's reluctant to hang out with Jay, an Indian American teen neighbor. When Bao, the shop cat, surprises them by having kittens, Aria realizes it's an ideal social media opportunity. Eventually Nainai's big secret is revealed, one that involves a wacky combination of prairie dogs, boba, and a threat to everyone in the city. Ultimately, Aria, Nainai, and Jay work together, finding a solution that's neatly tied up. The story explores family, friendships, and moving on from past hurt with a light touch. The attractively colored panels and expressive characters are visually engaging, ramping up both the suspense and the cuteness factor. Refreshing and filled with charm. (design and process notes) (Graphic adventure. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
From the beloved author of Pashmina (2017) comes a new lovable and quirky graphic novel about Aria, who has a secret; so does her grandmother. What will happen when their secrets collide? Every summer, Aria spends two weeks at Nainai's house in San Francisco. But this summer is different. This time, Aria will spend the whole summer helping Nainai run her boba shop. Aria loves being with Nainai, and she's extra relieved to be getting an escape from her troubles at home, namely a boy sharing pictures of her without permission. But she is slowly realizing that Nainai is up to something; something that might have to do with giant boba, some talking prairie dogs, and an earthquake-generating monster? Chanani's vibrant pastel visuals mirror the boba shop's cheerful atmosphere and Aria's quirky personality. Chanani captures San Francisco through a 13-year-old's eyes, and the off-kilter premise is likely to appeal to kids graduating from Dog Man. With lovable characters, cute kitties, lots of tasty food, and a journey of emotional growth and monster hunting, this graphic novel will have broad appeal.
