The House of Little Sisters

It’s August of 1931 in Singapore, sixteen-year-old Lim Mei Mei (Ah Mei) arrives at the home of Eminent Mister Lee on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Month. She has been sold to the family as a mui tsai, an indentured servant girl. At the Lee household, Lim Mei Mei’s life education begins. There she encounters the spirit of Ah Lian, a mui tsai, who paid the ultimate price for her mistake. Through Ah Lian, Ah Mei discovers the plight of mui tsai, who are both helpless and powerful, and uncovers a shameful secret lurking in the shadows in the Lee house. Ah Mei also meets and falls in love with Hassan Mohamed, an Indian-Muslim and an aspiring poet, breaking every clause in the rule book of love in 1930s British Malaya. She becomes Hassan’s Polar Star, and the young lovers must find a way to stay together. Through a twist of fate, Ah Mei finds a solution that will keep her and Hassan together, at the same time gaining agency that will secure her own future as an uneducated servant girl in British Malaya.

About the Author:

Eva Wong Nava is an award-winning children's book author. She writes picture books to entertain, engage, and enthrall young readers. She is also an art historian. When not writing for children, she meanders art museums and galleries waiting for the next piece of art work to speak to her and inspire another story. She weaves stories from art at Carpe Arte Journal. When not writing, Eva teaches the art of picture book creation through her workshops under the brand, Picture Book Matters. Eva can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook engaging people in conversations about art and stories.