Hi! I’m Isabella Chiu and I’m so excited to share my first book, Let’s Get Boba!, with you. I wrote and illustrated this book over the past year, telling the story of a little girl, Charlie, who introduces boba (bubble tea) to her best friend, Lucy. It’s a journey of cultural exchange through the joys of the foods that bring us together and a celebration of the rich diversity of people.​

To me, boba—and food, more broadly—has always been one of the easiest bridges between my Asian-Canadian identity and my friends who are less familiar with Asian culture. Food is such a simple and accessible medium for us to share and bring joy to ourselves and those around us, which was why I chose it as the central theme of my book.

As an Asian-Canadian and a boba lover, I wanted to create a book that not only teaches readers about a quintessential Asian treat, but also brings more diversity to kids’ literature through its Asian characters. Growing up, I distinctly remember that my favourite characters in books were often white and existed in a world that was quite different from mine. I hope that my book gives Asian kids growing up all over the world today a chance to read a book that feels more relatable.