Teatime Around the World

September 1, 2020

Gr 3-5-This nonfiction title provides insight into teas enjoyed around the world. A fun poem accompanies the refreshing, informational bits. Filled with rich artwork to complement each new scene, readers will not only engage with the fascinating information but will also enjoy the singsong poem that is unveiled one or two words at a time. As the narrative moves from scenes set in Chile to Hong Kong, many different people are depicted. The artwork is clearly presented and touches on nuances in various cultures without using stereotypes. An author's note reveals the inspiration for writing the book. While this text is not meant to cover the entire history of tea, it is a tribute to the drink. VERDICT This colorful book is filled with refreshingly diverse scenes depicting how tea is enjoyed around the world. A great purchase for elementary nonfiction picture book collections, especially where more cultural appreciation texts are needed.-Molly Dettmann, Norman North H.S., OK

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September 1, 2020
The leaves are only the beginning in this world tour of teas and tisanes. Readers whose definition of "tea" begins and ends with a bag and boiling water are in for a horizon-broadening read. Between serving up Moroccan mint tea (green tea, mint, and sugar) and Jamaican sorrel (roselle hibiscus buds, ginger, cloves, and sugar), Waissbluth pauses to savor masala chai (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, pepper, milk) in India, po cha (milk, yak-milk butter, salt) in Tibet, pink chai (pistachios, almonds, salt, milk, spices, baking soda) in Pakistan, and bubble tea (powdered milk, syrup, tapioca balls) in Taiwan. She also peeks in to tea ceremonies in Japan and China as well as a British-style formal tea and marvels at tea brewed in a samovar (Russia), served in bags (Thailand), and sipped from hollow gourds (South American mat�). In a closing note about her travels and research she writes that tea is nearly everywhere "a symbol of hospitality," and O'Byrne echoes that theme by posing her tea drinkers--all bearing a broad range of skin tones, facial features, and regionally distinct casual or ceremonial dress--in pairs or groups. The author provides ingredients but not recipes, and her claim that "Indigenous cultures in North America prepare tea from berries, plants, and roots" is unwontedly vague. Still, this wide-ranging tally of teas and methods of serving it may offer a strong temptation to look beyond the soda can. A refreshing cuppa conviviality, brewed and served many ways. (Informational picture book. 6-9)

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November 1, 2020
Preschool-Grade 2 In theory, few things are simpler than tea--water plus an ingredient or two--yet, over the centuries and across the globe, people have created their own versions of tea and imbued them with cultural, geographical, and culinary significance. Teatime around the World shows us some of these versions. The main text uses a simple rhyme scheme consisting of a handful of words ("Tea for one. / Tea for two. / Tea for me. / Tea for you."), while succinct supplementary paragraphs provide context on the teas. Readers will learn about ingredients such as hibiscus flowers in South Sudan, condensed milk in Malaysia, and yak butter in Tibet, and about tea that is made in teapots or cauldrons, sipped through straws or from wooden bowls, reserved for special occasions, or kept brewing all day long. The message is one of global unity in which tea becomes a metaphor for how people are different and alike. A bright color palette enhances the cheerfulness of teatime customs and adds cultural detail. A charming book to be read aloud with friends, perhaps at teatime.

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