The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei

by Christina Matula

Overview

"I can't wait for readers to explore Hong Kong with Holly-Mei. I have no doubt they will love both as much as I did." —Erin Entrada Kelly, 2018 Newbery Medalist and 2021 Newbery Honoree

Packed with humor and heart, this debut middle grade series follows a girl finding her place in a brand-new world of private school and frenemies when her family moves to Hong Kong.

Holly-Mei Jones couldn’t be more 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 the ultimate adventure!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781335428653
Publisher:	Inkyard Press
Publication date:	03/07/2023
Series:	A Holly-Mei Book , #1
Edition description:	First Time Trade
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	457,200
Product dimensions:	5.09(w) x 7.49(h) x 0.68(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Christina Matula grew up in Ottawa, Canada. Being a child of immigrant parents, she has always been curious about other cultures and far-off places. Dumplings are her favorite food, especially her mother’s savory Taiwanese jiaozi and her father’s sweet Hungarian gomboc. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Hong Kong and now lives in Finland with her husband, two children, and puppy.

Editorial Reviews

Red Dot Book Award (Winner)


"I can't wait for readers to explore Hong Kong with Holly-Mei. I have no doubt they will love both as much as I did." —Erin Entrada Kelly, 2018 Newbery Medalist and 2021 Newbery Honoree


"Unique and universal all at once, Holly-Mei’s story of moving to a high-pressure world of glitz and wealth will have readers turning pages—and thinking about their own friendships that might need mending." —Kate Messner, author of Breakout and Chirp


"In The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei, Christina Matula shines a light on the challenges and triumphs of middle school life for diaspora children. Readers will root for the lovable Holly-Mei as she navigates a new life in Hong Kong, forging friendships and exploring all the wonders of Chinese culture. A charming, truthful, and heartfelt middle grade debut—I can’t wait for readers to meet Holly-Mei!" —Katie Zhao, author of The Dragon Warrior series and Last Gamer Standing

"From the very first line I felt as if Holly-Mei was taking me by the hand and pulling me into her story." —Lauren Child, author and illustrator of the Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean series

"Absolutely enchanting." —Buzzfeed

"Life upheaval offers a tween lessons on socialization in this story of personal growth." —Kirkus Reviews

"A whirlwind of new experiences... The fusion of Mean Girls and a kid's version of Crazy Rich Asians will have readers returning." —Booklist

"A sweet coming-of-age novel that explores culture and friendship with an authentic character sure to engage middle grade readers." —SLJ

From the Publisher

05/01/2022

Gr 4–6—In this debut novel, Holly-Mei and her family move from Canada to Hong Kong. There, she struggles to find her place with friends and at school. Because Holly-Mei's mother has taken a much higher position in her company, she is now attending a very exclusive private school and the expectations and social class issues are heightened. Holly-Mei is half Taiwanese and half English, so she is excited to be in a new school and country where she won't be a minority anymore. But with all these subtopics, the all-encompassing theme in the book is that of friendship. From the opening in China, where Holly-Mei is navigating the loss of friendships as a result of her too-truthful actions, to the more heightened friendship stakes in her new school, readers will empathize with her struggles. Some very light mentions of crushes and flirting occur among the seventh grade characters, but nothing more than blushes and giggles, a gentle way of exploring a different aspect of friendship. Matula's flowing prose especially shines with lavish descriptions of Hong Kong food and culture. An author's note includes Chinese pronunciation guides, notes on culture, and some recipes to try out. The only flaw that drags down an otherwise lovely book is an occasional didactic moment where a lesson is spelled out too obviously. VERDICT A sweet coming-of-age novel that explores culture and friendship with an authentic character sure to engage middle grade readers.—Elizabeth Nicolai

School Library Journal

2022-01-26
A girl learns to balance fairness with friendship.

The novel begins in Toronto as 12-year-old Holly-Mei Jones attempts to mollify teammates who are shunning her for having cost them the win in their field hockey game as well as a class pizza party due to her insistence on doing the right thing and following the rules no matter the consequences. Her problems increase when Mom announces a promotion necessitating their family’s temporary relocation to Hong Kong in two weeks. The plot incorporates expected signals of privilege: a luxurious expatriate life in the former British colony and interactions with Hong Kong’s cosmopolitan elites. Gemma Tsien—queen bee and daughter of the PTA chair at the exclusive private school where Holly-Mei and younger sister Millie enroll—poses the primary challenge to Holly-Mei’s social acceptance. However, a near-fatal accident during Gemma’s birthday party and a group project hiccup become bonding experiences that make both girls sympathetic to each other’s pressures to live up to parental expectations, establish guanxi, or connections, and not do anything to lose face. With a Taiwanese mother and White English father, Holly-Mei’s feeling of connection to Chinese culture grows even as she observes socio-economic polarities in Hong Kong. Through cultivating new friendships, she also succeeds in mending an old one. The aftermatter includes a glossary of Chinese language terms and two recipes.Sweet illustrations enhance the text.

Life upheaval offers a tween lessons on socialization in this story of personal growth. (Fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews