Christina Matula’s The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei tells the story of a middle schooler who moves with her family to Hong Kong. The book is the first in a series and part of Inkyard Press’s new line of middle grade titles, aimed to “model ‘main character energy’ to a broader range of kids as they navigate both specific and universal experiences,” said publishing director Bess Braswell.
Matula spoke about drawing from her own life to create her young heroine, the experience of adapting to a new culture, and writing about the city that’s “a character of its own.”
The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei takes place in Hong Kong, where you have lived for many years. How much does setting play a role in the book?
The book had to be set in the wonderful, vibrant, and exciting city of Hong Kong. It’s a place where I, like Holly-Mei, moved and came to fully embrace. There is so much that is unique to the city – the mix of Chinese and Western influence; the clash of nature and concrete; the business focus; the international population; the competitiveness; the scenery; the humidity. They all make Hong Kong a character of its own in this book.
Middle school can be challenging no matter a child’s circumstances. For Holly-Mei, she’s also navigating a whole new culture. In what ways does she change and grow throughout the course of the book?
Moving to Hong Kong allows Holly-Mei to learn more about her own Chinese cultural heritage – she can live and breathe it in the architecture, the customs, and the foods. She also goes to a school where most of the students are Asian or mixed-Asian, so for the first time she can see herself as part of the majority. But she doesn’t have her beloved grandmother, her Ah-ma, to guide her and navigate the changes, so her road to making and keeping new friends is a bit bumpy. Holly-Mei stubbornly believes the move will solve all her problems. She doesn’t realize a change in geography won’t fix her inability to listen to those around her and her tendency to blurt things without thinking. Eventually, she learns that she needs to be flexible and accept that things need time to develop before they can become sweet.
How much of Holly-Mei’s experiences mirror your own?
Like Holly-Mei, I had some slightly awkward moments in middle school and I wished I had my Ah-ma to guide me, especially to help me navigate moving to a new school and making friends! Also like Holly-Mei, I am mixed-Taiwanese and grew up in Canada (Ottawa), although I didn’t have the ability to speak in Chinese with my own grandmother. Both my parents are immigrants (my father is Hungarian), so we spoke English at home as that was the common language. Without the ability to speak Chinese, I always felt that there was a piece of my identity missing, so when I moved to Hong Kong, I jumped at the chance to take Mandarin lessons. Learning the language as well as being immersed in the customs helped me to create a stronger cultural identity and fully embrace my heritage.
Although we see Holly-Mei at ease and happy with her heritage at the beginning of the book, once she moves to Hong Kong and is surrounded by people who look like her, in particular the many mixed-Asian kids, we quietly see her appreciate her heritage even more. And like Holly-Mei, I love playing field hockey and drinking bubble tea!
Are there any thematic similarities between your picture book, The Shadow in the Moon, and The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei?
Both books feature families that have a loving grandmother, Ah-ma, who helps to pass on cultural stories and wisdom to her granddaughters. And both have a strong female main character. In The Shadow in the Moon, Chang’e saves the world by drinking a magic potion to prevent it from getting into the hands of a thief. In The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei, Holly-Mei speaks her mind (sometimes too freely), loves being active, and is kindhearted. I hope that is what will endear readers to Holly-Mei.
What do you hope readers take away from the reading experience?
I would love readers to experience this book as both a mirror and a window. For readers who are of Asian heritage, I hope they can see a reflection of some aspect of their lives and can feel a connection to the characters and setting, be it the customs, the foods, or the family dynamics. For readers who are not of Asian heritage, I hope this can be a window through which they can see beauty in some of the cultural aspects of the book, as well come across characters who are kids doing regular kid things and facing typical adolescent dilemmas, but who just happen to be Asian.
Can you give any hints about what’s next for Holly-Mei?
The next adventure sees Holly-Mei and her friends explore more of Hong Kong. Although she tries hard to keep her faults in check, some new insecurities surface, and her competitive nature comes to the forefront in an all-city sports tournament. Will her push to win push her friends away?
