How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea by Kate Hosford + Giveaway!

How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea 
by Kate Hosford
Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Published March, 2017
Carolrhoda Books
Picture Book
40 Pages
Hardcover
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Each day when the Queen wakes up, three maids dress her, two more style her hair, and her butler James makes her tea. But when she grows dissatisfied with her brew, the Queen and James set out in search of the perfect cup. With each stop on their hot-air balloon journey, the Queen encounters new friends who expand her horizons in the kitchen and beyond.

My Thoughts

This book is about so much more than a snobby queen searching for a good cup of tea. I love the layers of possibility in this book. It can be shared with young readers to discuss friendship and shared with older readers to delve deeper into the themes of generosity, perspective and gratitude. 

The queen visits Turkey, India and Japan and sees how each child prepares the tea in a different way. This offers the reader a different view of how things can be done in a variety of ways with equally pleasing results. 

The author writes using a comforting, repetitive pattern as she meets each child, has tea, leaves in her hot air balloon and lands to meet the next child. I love the ending when the queen has found the "secret" to the perfect cup of tea. 

Gabi Swiatkowska created the unique illustrations in colored pencil giving the pictures a soft, muted feel. Stark, white backgrounds allow the characters to take center stage. She uses plain pencil to draw the ingredients and to outline the process each child uses to make tea. 

I really enjoyed How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea. It would recommend it for grades Pre-K-4. 

See what others have to say about this book:

Kirkus

Publishers Weekly

Watch the Book Trailer

About the Author

Kate Hosford is the author of several picture books, including Infinity and Me, which won the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book award and was named an ALA Notable Children's Book. Her books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, French, and Romanian. Kate grew up in Waitsfield,  Vermont, where she enjoyed many cups of tea.  She now drinks tea with her family in Brooklyn, New York. To learn more, and to download a free curriculum guide, visit her website: khosford.com.

Twitter: @khosford_author

Making friendship and fun count

In the spirit of the book's message, Kate Hosford will donate $1 (up to $500) for every retweet of a review or interview from her blog tour to First Book. (Be sure to include .@khosford_author.) Established in 1992, First Book is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need.

I would like to thank the publisher for offering a giveaway of this wonderful book. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway