A Dissatisfied Queen Looks for The Perfect Cuppa! #howthequeenfoundtheperfectcupoftea

Do you enjoy fancy outfits, lovely illustrations, whimsical pets, world travel, the monarchy, and tea? (At the very least, you must enjoy tea! You’re here, after all!) 

I have the precise book for you. It’s How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea, written by Kate Hosford and illustrated by Gail Swiatkowska. 

This. Book. Is. Cute. 

The plot is about how the queen is dissatisfied with her butler’s tea-making skills. So she decides to go on a world travel to see how they’re making their tea. She goes to Japan (matcha), India (chai), and Turkey (a really cool double-pot method of brewing). 

The children she meets there are cute and charming. They show her how it’s done — with really great illustrations depicting each process. 

Along the way, she learns not only how to make tea, but the importance of friendship, cuddling her pets, and taking charge of her own life. (Cuddling one’s pets? Obviously key to a joyous existence.) 

As a professional graphic designer (ha! I sound important!), I was especially taken with the typography and the illustrations. The font is beautiful, and whimsically laid out across the page. And the illustrations go perfectly with it. Delicate, flowing pencil/graphite with rich, color-coded colored pencil laid over top. Each page is a masterpiece. 

The Queen herself is especially charming. She has a fanciful hairdo/outfit that has a little bit in common with the Queen of Hearts — one of my favorite characters of all time — but remains original. 

And the children are accurate to the regions where they come from. Sometimes illustrators have difficulty capturing different ethnicities in a sensitive and authentic way, but not here. The kids look great. 

And oh my, the whimsical pets are so cute. 

If you want a pretty book with a sweet message and lots of tea, I recommend this one. I think it’d be a great way to introduce a child to the ways of tea. If I had a kid, I’d totally be reading this to him/her all the time. I want my kids to join this wonderful world of tea! 


Here’s the scoop!

Learn even more about this book here!

How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea. . . .

You have to love a book with the title of How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea.  This children’s book written by Kate Hosford and illustrated by Gail Swiatkowska is all about the Queen’s determination to find the perfect cup of tea.

The book opens with the Queen being frustrated with her current cup of tea and decides that she must embark on a journey to find the perfect cup of tea.

Through her adventures, she discovers that there are different ways to brew and enjoy tea in a multiple ways and that she can even brew the tea herself.   She also learns that she is capable of doing tasks on her own and that the best way to enjoy a good cuppa is with friends.

The illustrations in the book are gorgeous and the book is written in a way that captivates readers of all ages. Even at 38, this book had me smiling, giggling, and just enjoying the story in a whole.

 I would image this would be a perfect book for any child who either has an interest in tea or having their own tea party.  I’m excited to pick up a couple copies for my nieces’ birthday coming up soon.

A wonderful book to be shared at bedtime or even during a tea party.  I’m quite excited to see what the rest of the Sisters think of this wonderfully quirky book about a tea adventure that we’ve all been on.

Illustration copyright (c) 2017 by Gabi Swiatkowska from HOW THE QUEEN FOUND THE PERFECT CUP OF TEA by Kate Hosford, published by Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Here’s the scoop!

Click here to find more information about this wonderful book!