The Tea Dragon Society (2016)

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Synopsis

From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever After comes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.

From: Oni Press

Notes on This Title

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Awards

2018 Eisner Award Winner for Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)
2018 Eisner Award Winner for Best Webcomic
2018 Harvey Award Nominee for Digital Book of the Year
2018 Harvey Award Winner for Best Children or Young Adult Book

Reviews

“Readers will be drawn in equally by the  inventive story and gorgeous artwork, which resembles Japanese manga in style but stands apart with lovely colors and lack of harsh outlines. The  layout is easy on the eyes, and the  back of the book includes an excerpt from the  fictional Tea Dragons Handbook, which introduces a few other kinds of dragons  not included in the original story. A gentle fantasy perfect for introducing young readers to graphic novels.” (Source: Booklist, vol 114, number 9, p62)

“As she did in Princess Princess Ever After (2016), O’Neill has composed a feel-good tale just right for middle-grade fantasy fans. In alluringly hued, manga-inspired illustrations, O’Neill’s diverse characters distray an array of different skin colors, orientations, and abilities. Helping to add depth to the worldbuilding is an excerpt from a fictional tome that explains the  history of tea dragons and their individual characteristics. Undeniably whimsical and extremely cute.” (Source: Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2017)

“Colored in a palette of warm greens, pinks, oranges, and blues, her delicately drawn panels hum with a subtle romantic energy, particularly when Greta learns the  backstory between the  two remaining members of the Tea Dragon Society, a goatlike creature named Hesekiel and his strapping, wheelchair-using partner, Erik. (There’s also a whiff of burgeoning romance between Greta and Minette, a girl with unreliable memories who is also learning to care for the dragons.) A quiet, charming story of nurturing friendships and traditions.” (Source: Publishers Weekly, vol 264, issue 37)

“This warm and funny story would be a wonderful addition to most graphic novel collections. It quietly illustrates and normalizes a variety of family situations and personal identities.” (Source: School Library Journal, vol 63, issue 8, p94)

Interviews

School Library Journal: “Graphic Novelist Katie O’Neill Talks Tea Dragons”

2 thoughts on “The Tea Dragon Society”

  1. “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL extension which is required by WordPress.” This is the message I get when I try to visit the site.

    Reply
    • Thank you for the heads up. It looks like the creator’s website is down as well. In the meantime, Tea Dragon Society can be read online at hoopladigital.com, which is free with a public library card if your library is a subscriber.

      Reply

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