BECOMING BOBA

An anthropomorphic cup of boba tea named Mindy learns a lesson in identity.

“Milk Tea Town [is] steeped in tradition”; residents are proud of their “subtle shades of brown, quality ingredients, and classic milk tea flavor.” With brighter hues of green, white, and pink, little Mindy isn’t like those who’ve come before her. Soon enough, other tiny untraditional milk teas with their swirly straws and innovative ingredients pop up, too. This generation of colorful beverages scandalizes the grown-ups, who fret over the deviation from the classic milk tea tradition and wonder what it means. Mindy frets about not being “milk tea enough.” But as the young bobas explore their heritage through “culture classes,” a research mission unveils the truly colorful history of milk tea. Ho and Ren charmingly tackle big themes such as cultural belonging through tea puns and cutely illustrated boba drinks. The younglings’ presentation of their family trees to the grown-ups reveals how “we’ve always mixed things up,” adapting and adopting new ingredients throughout history—a reference to generational identity in the Asian diaspora. To move forward is to keep up with tradition, as the elders come to understand. A short comic and notes from Ho and Ren provide additional history and information.

A buoyant story of belonging.