Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the
world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious
book for young readers.
When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language
class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak English, neither can
anyone else. That's when she has a brilliant idea to host a tea party
and bring them all together.
Luli removes her teapot, thermos, and teacups from her bag and calls out
"Chá!" in her native Chinese. One by one, her classmates pipe up in
recognition: in Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, and Spanish,
Portuguese, and Swahili. Tea is a tasty language they all know well, and
it gives them a chance to share and enjoy each other's company. When all
the tea is gone and it's time for dessert, Luli gets to use her favorite
English word, cookie! After that, the playroom isn't so quiet.
Informed by her own experience as the child of Chinese immigrant
parents, Andrea Wang makes the point that when you're looking to
communicate with people, you look for a common bond. The word for "tea"
is similar in many languages, and tea becomes the unifying metaphor that
brings a diverse group of children together. Additional material at the
back of the book explores the rich and ancient history of tea drinking
across cultures all around the world and contains maps, statistics, and
fascinating details that will delight young readers.
An American Library Association Notable Children's Book
A Booklist Editors' Choice Selection
A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children's Book of the Year
