This charming and funny debut is the first in a middle-grade trilogy.

THE NOT-SO-UNIFORM LIFE OF HOLLY-MEI
by Christina Matula
Inkyard/HarperCollins, April 2022
(via Laura Dail Literary)

There’s a new girl in town. Holly-Mei Jones is excited about moving to Hong Kong for her mother’s job. Her new school is right on the beach and her family’s apartment is beyond beautiful. Everything is going to be perfect . . . right? Maybe not. It feels like everywhere she turns, there are new rules to follow and expectations to meet. On top of that, the most popular girl in her grade is quickly becoming a frenemy. And without the guidance of her loving Ah-ma, who stayed behind in Toronto, Holly-Mei just can’t seem to get it right. It will take all of Holly-Mei’s determination and sparkle (and maybe even a tiny bit of stubbornness) to get through seventh grade and turn her life in Hong Kong into a great adventure!

Christina Matula is a Canadian author living in Hong Kong with her family. A child of immigrant parents, she has always been curious about other cultures and far-off places. She loves sharing stories that will spark an interest in and passion for Chinese culture in young readers. This is her debut middle-grade novel.