The Tea Dragon Society

Gr 4 Up—Greta is a young blacksmith apprentice who wonders whether her mother's craft is still relevant in contemporary society. When she rescues a little lost dragon in the marketplace and returns it to its owners, Greta learns about another fading art form—the care of tea dragons, small creatures who grow tea leaves out of their horns and antlers. She becomes fascinated with the enchanting dragons and their caretakers, and begins to appreciate how traditional crafts can create their own kind of magic by enriching lives, including hers. This book is wonderfully inclusive, and depicts a distinct and expressive cast of LGBTQIA characters and people of color. The title is reminiscent of a younger, more innocent version of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples's "Saga," with many of the main characters possessing horns and antlers. The artwork is soft and fluid, with lots of rounded edges and complementary tones. The backgrounds are an integral and memorable part of the story—some details are so lush that they give the appearance of tapestries.