The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
melpen's review against another edition
5.0
A lovely story about tea and monkeys and familial love. The illustrations are quite stunning.
rjvrtiska's review
4.0
I checked this book out because of the illustrations, and they didn’t disappoint. A sweet fairy tale, woven from legends and fables from the Himalayas. It would’ve been nice to weave in a few more place-specific details.
pwbalto's review
4.0
Stunningly atmospheric, this simple, dramatic tale reads a bit like Jorge Luis Borges for kids. Tashi's mother is a tea picker in the foothills of the Himalayas. Their day is described in beautifully descriptive sensory terms, from the sweet scent of their morning tea to the "blurred red globe" of the sun on their walk home from work.
Every day, Tashi shares her lunch with the monkeys who frequent the tea fields. When her mother becomes too sick to work, despondent Tashi takes refuge with the monkeys and falls asleep. She awakes to find that her kindness has been repaid - the monkeys have filled her basket with the rarest wild tea, the tea that the Royal Tea Taster will pay for in gold, enabling Tashi and her mother to live out their days in peace and prosperity.
In an Author's Note, Mal and Elspeth say that they came up with this story after having read many tales involving tea from the Himalayas. They do not say that they've traveled to the region, but I've been to tea plantations in India, and I find it hard to believe that they could so beautifully describe the light, the mist, the way the day progresses without having been there.
The ink and gouache illustrations are likewise marvelous. Juan Wijngaard has a lovely light touch, and great dexterity in capturing the muted colors of early morning, strong midday colors, and dappled shade alike. His fine-line ink drawings are breathtaking.
Every day, Tashi shares her lunch with the monkeys who frequent the tea fields. When her mother becomes too sick to work, despondent Tashi takes refuge with the monkeys and falls asleep. She awakes to find that her kindness has been repaid - the monkeys have filled her basket with the rarest wild tea, the tea that the Royal Tea Taster will pay for in gold, enabling Tashi and her mother to live out their days in peace and prosperity.
In an Author's Note, Mal and Elspeth say that they came up with this story after having read many tales involving tea from the Himalayas. They do not say that they've traveled to the region, but I've been to tea plantations in India, and I find it hard to believe that they could so beautifully describe the light, the mist, the way the day progresses without having been there.
The ink and gouache illustrations are likewise marvelous. Juan Wijngaard has a lovely light touch, and great dexterity in capturing the muted colors of early morning, strong midday colors, and dappled shade alike. His fine-line ink drawings are breathtaking.
teenytinylibrary's review
3.0
I love Mal Peet. This caught my eye - tea, monkeys, the GORGEOUS illustration on the cover. This would be a good story to adapt for storytelling - there's great possibility with the monkeys, the women who won't look, the Royal Tea Taster and his tea tasting faces.
aazak127's review
5.0
I would give it 6 stars if I could. A whimsical story with loveable characters and just the right amount of drama. The illustrations are beautiful too!
leafilippi's review
4.0
My son found this story of a young girl who tries to fill in for her mother picking tea to be emotionally gripping. Good for older preschoolers and young grade school students.
fieldsla's review
4.0
This was such a surprise. What a charming fantasy that takes place in China. Would be a perfect read aloud for middle school
alisylvi's review
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Pretty illustrations but otherwise bland.