The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill

 

I think this is one of the cutest things I've ever read, right up there with the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic comics. THE TEA DRAGON SOCIETY is set in a fantasy universe filled with magical creatures. The heroine, Greta, is a goblin blacksmith with a black cat familiar and her friend, Minette, is some sort of unicorn/fawn prophetess. The two of them end up joining a gay couple, Hesekiel and Erik, who take care of tea dragons.

Tea dragons are tiny little dragons that can't take care of themselves and need to be raised and coddled. They sprout tea leaves from their heads, and different dragons make different teas. It's a consuming project because obviously, there are easier ways to get tea, but to Hesekiel and Erik, it is an art where the labor is its own reward.

This is a really cute graphic-novel aimed at children, revolving around themes of patience, passion, friendship, kindness, loyalty, and understanding. It reminds me a lot of the TV shows I used to watch on PBS when I was a kid, actually. Things like Sagwa and Dragon Tales. It just has that wholesome, magical vibe that quality children's programming has. And yet, it doesn't feel condescending or preachy at all.

Very cute. 100% recommend.

5 out of 5 stars