Noodle & Bao tells the story of Town 99 and gentrification. When Noodle and his grandma are kicked out of their restaurant to make way for a new fancy cafe, Bao starts a crusade to get it back and possibly save the entirety of Town 99 in the process. How are they going to do it? Food and protest of course.

I am very obviously not the audience for this graphic novel so I tried to read it with my library patrons in mind. The story overall is sweet and the description of the food made me hungry. I just didn't find much else. I think my readers of the Animal Crossing manga definitely will like this, but I also felt myself getting annoyed at Bao over and over.

3/5 stars

This book is a great read for readers of any age looking to learn more about the cultural history behind community centers and the activism that goes into preserving them against gentrification. Shaina Lu keeps the focus very tight by centering the story on the eponymous Noodle and Bao, and Bao's friend Momo who does everything she can think of to help keep her friends and neighbors keep afloat in the place they've made their home. Lu sprinkles small details throughout that add a welcome depth to all the characters, and the seamless integration of pronouns and bilingual speech bubbles where applicable are a fantastic choice. The art style is bubbly, cute, and expressive. Lu also includes a section at the end of the book that gives an overview of the events which inspired this story, something readers will be eager to learn more about after taking in Momo and Bao's experiences.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books for an ARC to review.

I absolutely loved this book! This was such a fun read and I truly enjoyed it! The pictures in the graphic novel are really cute. The town and the food are very detailed. The baos looked so delicious that it makes the reader want to go out and eat baos. The story was so inspiring that I finished the book in an hour. I enjoyed reading every word and felt that the story relates to small towns being gentrified. So much history and culture gets erased when these small towns get gentrified. It is nice to see the POV of the people (even though fictional characters) and their struggles while their town changes. Again, I loved this book and it would make a great addition to the library.

I am torn on purchasing Noodle & Bao for my elementary school library. While the themes present in the book can be found in other titles that my students love, I am not sure of the appeal of this book. To be quite honest, I have a hard time getting students to read graphic novels that aren't in full color. I do think the story is worth telling, and I think that students will enjoy it, but it will be a rough go getting them to start it.

Positives: I love the way the different languages and cultures were represented. The book made me very hungry. The subject matter is dealt with at an appropriate level.

Negatives: The pacing feels off. Not sure if it will immediately appeal to students.

Meaningful graphic novel written and illustrated by Shaina Lu for middle grade readers.
The story is interesting and timely as it deals with friendship, very current social problems, and presents interesting food ideas while being Asian bilingual. Very enjoyable!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC on Adobe Digital Editions from HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books via NetGalley. Thank you

5 Stars. This story was adorable and oh so heartwarming. Momo has lived her whole life in Town 99, she knows all of the ins and outs and most importantly where to get the best eats–Noodles & Bao. May I just say that Gua Bao sounds amazing! Noodles & Bao lost their storefront due to their landlord selling the building and had to transition to a food cart. A swanky new restaurant called Fance Cafe quickly replaces the former location of Noodles & Bao. To take it a step further, Jujube, the new owner of Fance Cafe even forces Noodle & Bao to relocate their food truck. Noodles & Bao tell a heartwarming story of a community trying to hang on to its roots and support one another. I loved the art and the seemingly random mix of animals and humans. Noodle is not a human and neither are Momo’s parents, but there were humans too. It was a quirky style choice that just added to the story’s overall charm. I can see where the references to Animal Crossing come from now. I liked the inclusion of pronouns when introducing the main characters and the inclusion of Chinese in the speech bubbles as well. All in all, this book addresses some pretty challenging topics, from immigration, community, and gentrification, all while tantalizing readers with mouth watering food and charming characters. Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, Shaina Lu, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for review!

This book was so cute! My son and I loved the graphics and the pacing was spot on. I also appreciated that it sparked a conversation about friendship, standing up for what you believe in and why gentrification can happen.

I really liked this! The pacing was a bit odd at times and a lot of the conflict was solved in the end off-camera which I didn't know how to feel about. The art was super cute and I loved the mixture of human & animal characters :) It also made me very hungry to read this, and the bilingual inclusion was really cool!

This book was definitely a cute one. From the animations to the sense of community made it very enjoyable for me. They touch on topics of gentrification and changes in the communities that the native people do not condone and want. If it’s one thing this comic book taught me, it is that it’s better for everyone to stick together and speak out, especially when it’s something that affects everyone.

What would you do to save your family's small business from a bigger, commercialized business taking over? One little food cart is taking a stand against the white-washing of their Chinatown neighborhood. Cafe France moves in and Noodle and Bao are forced to sell their food from a cart out front of their former restaurant. Bao's best friend Momo doesn't think this is very fair and stages a series of protests (my favorite character the piggy bouncer makes appearances during these protests). When push comes to shove, only one shop will survive. Momo challenges the new comers to cook off. Bao is super nervous, so she helps Bao make some new infusions of their most classic recipe. Will they successfully be able to stay in business? Can Momo's family make enough to pay rent and stay in the neighborhood.?

What I loved most: the new infused recipes, the art style, the scathing social commentary, the big, bold all that Momo is contrasted with the quietness of Bao.

I really enjoyed this book. Everything about it screams cute: the art, the characters, the ending. I loved the part at the end of the book where we get some more serious facts on the subjects that inspired this story. It was exactly what I was needing to read right now.
I would recommend picking this one up if you are looking for an easy but impactful read.

Thank you for the advanced copy of Noodle & Bao! This was a very cute middle grade graphic novel. Also a very quick and easy read! The artwork was lovely and enjoyable. The story of the town and culture and people was written beautifully. I liked how they came together to save what they love. Another favorite part was when everyone said their hopes and dreams of the future and that the main character was surprised by some of them, which reminds us that we may not fully know everyone around us and should never make assumptions. We also should support those we love and care about when they have dreams they want to achieve. Again, this was a great middle grade graphic novel. Thank you again for the advanced copy!

Heartwarming, moving, and an absolute delight to read. I think every school library should carry this book. It's educational but in the format of a delightful bite sized graphic novel that is sure to capture the hearts of many.

Noodle and Bao is so cute. So cute!! It is an excellent way to introduce kids to the concept of gentrification. It makes it so easy to understand it's told through a sweet and delightful story that will make the reader interested to learn more. Loved it!!

Cute little small town people trying to save their little town.
Adding in tasty food made it even better!

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. This is a great story about empowerment and coming together as a community to solve a problem. A guide on gentrification is provided at the end of the book. Interesting art style and a mix of human and animal characters would appeal to the intended audience (children). Overall, a quick read with a wonky pacing and a strong message about resilience, friendship, and empowerment.

Noodle & Bao is a perfect book for middle grade students (or older folks!) looking to understand gentrification, immigration, and how food and culture can connection and strengthen communities. The characters were wonderfully diverse (many languages, cultures, family types, genders, and ages are included in this wonderful line-up), and Shaina Lu's more in-depth exploration of the main themes of the story in the back of the book is a wonderful guide for adults to talk about hard subjects like immigration and gentrification. This book is a wonderful starting point for adults who want to introduce these ideas to their children or teens. The art style is gorgeous and the colors are stunning. I loved the illustrations and explanations of the food as well. I will absolutely be recommending this to our library kiddos of all ages!

Yes! Yes! Yes! This kids graphic novel is completely wonderful! I am always drawn to amazing art and the storyline is just a fabulous! You may just get a little hungry while reading this graphic novel!

Noodle & Bao is such a sweet story about the power of community, resistance, and identity. It was really moving to see all the different characters, different ages and backgrounds, coming together to fight for their community. I think this is a great way for younger audiences to learn more about serious issues like displacement and gentrification.

I especially loved how fleshed out the characters were (Noodle, Bao, and Momo!) and how much growth they went through even in the span of just 200 pages! And the growth wasn’t limited to just the younger characters, but the older ones too. It was really beautiful to see the preservation of tradition but also the way tradition can grow and adapt into something new. The idea that home can be both in the past but also something new that grows with you is so wonderful. I was genuinely brought to tears at some parts. What a special little book.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollin’s Childrens for an advanced copy of this. But especially thank you to Shaina Lu for writing such a beautiful story. While this is perfect for elementary/middle grade readers, I think this is a read that all of us can read and learn from!

A heart-warming tale about a community fighting their way through the gentrification of their town while also considering what it means for their community to progress without sacrificing tradition or their rightful place.