TEA IS LOVE... And I LOVE Tea!

When my body was younger and more resilient, I consumed coffee at a furious pace. Faster and in greater volumes than allowed for any effort toward connoiseur reflections. Coffee was coffee. 

Then, with age, I couldn't tolerate coffee on a physiological level, even though I still enjoy coffee's aroma. Instead, I became a tea drinker, gradually acquiring preferences among various types and brands. Mainly, though, I found a calming effect in tea, in contrast to  the "ramping up" impact of a cup of strong coffee. 

That's all a lead in to a new picture book that considers tea as an experience rather than as a beverage, TEA IS LOVE, 

DIAL BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
2025

written by Adib Khorram and illustrated by Hannah Cha. With lyrical lines that, written alone, launch entire spreads, the lines assembled reveal a poetic humage to tea, the poep[le who provide it, and those who share it: 

"TEA is a plant.

TEA is a journey.

TEA is a rainbow.

And TEA is love."

With full spreads and spot illustrations, tea becomes an experience between and among people of every background and culture. Much of the "information" within this warm-hearted revelation about the power of TEA in our various lives is explored through images that involve diversity of homes, geography, and identity. Tea transcends it all. The author note in back (using many more words than the brief main text) offers details on types of tea, ways tea is used in various cultures, and ways it is prepared for market and then in various homes and restaurants. 

The distinctly diverse individuals (in age, ethnicity, gender, geography) suggest that TEA is a unifier, a universal experience despite distinct differences among us.The end papers are not only warmly welcoming with soft edges, finishes, and tender colors, but also in the variations of vessels associated with tea. This approach invites curiosity and questions rather than challenges and concerns.There are so MANY ways we can learn more about tea, but this simple book is a lovely introduction to and reminder of the "big picture " of TEA, what it is and what it means in our lives.

 For many decades now I've been on firm footing: I LOVE TEA. But this book (a new favorite of mine) persuades me that TEA IS LOVE. Why not pour yourself a cuppa your favorite tea and check this out?