Occasionally I curate a book list that is primarily about satisfying my 6-year-old self. My list of books about fairies and dollhouses was one of those lists, and so is this list of children's books about teatime and tea parties!
This list includes sweet and funny picture books, some poetry, folk-tale inspired choices, even a nonfiction book to teach kids about the history of tea time. So set out the fine china, fill up the tea pot and have a story-filled tea time!
(Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn from qualifying purchases.)
Tea Party Rules by Ame Dyckman. Even little boys can like books about tea parties. Cub happens upon a little girl's tea party, and boy do those cookies smell good! But -- arg! -- there are so many rules to follow! After some finagling and lots of laughter, the rules change and the two become friends
Teatime Around the World by Denyse Waissbluth. This wonderful book gives details about how diverse cultures around the world celebrate teatime. Young listeners who think tea comes only in a bag will be delightfully surprised to learn that some children drink tea out of gourds, others like it salty and others add a delectable assortment of spices. Poems add to the fun. A must read for any tea drinker.
Tea Rex by Molly Idle. A very clever book that both fans of teatime and fans of dinosaurs will giggle at. I love the way the text follows a "teatime rulebook" while the illustrations demonstrate the absurdity of what happens when a dinosaur follows those rules.
MORE: Picture Books about Manners
Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi. Kikko follows her father through the woods with a pie that her father has forgotten on the way to grandmother's house. Along the way she stops for a tea party with the woodland animals. But the real star of this teatime book are the illustrations.
Tea Party Today: Poems to Sip and Savor by Ellen Spinelli. I love that I was able to find a book of teatime poems. The poems are nice and simple but have a fun rhythm and are perfect for younger children, too.
Fu Finds the Way by John Rocco. When the young Fu accidentally hits the warrior Chang with a plant, the strong warrior challenges him to a duel. Fearful of the upcoming battle, Fu seeks guidance from the local Master who teaches him the Chinese tea ceremony. Fu worries about his lack of fighting skills, but it turns out the ancient tea ceremony is exactly the knowledge he needs.
How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea by Kate Hosford. I especially enjoyed Gabi Swiatkowska's illustrations in this lively story about a queen who travels to several countries in a hot air balloon where she encounters different teatime rituals. When she makes it back home, she invites her new friends from Japan, India and Turkey to enjoy a pleasant tea party. Great fun.
Tea with Grandpa by Barney Saltzberg. This is a sweet, rhyming, intergenerational story about the pleasures of spending time with extended family members. There is a fun, modern twist at the end!
MORE: Picture Books about Grandparents
Teatime with Emma Buttersnap by Lindsey Tate. A narrative about Emma and Great-Aunt Prudence getting ready for tea time is the backdrop for all sorts of facts about the history and practice of tea time. This is a good book for kids who really want to learn a lot of factual information about tea, but not the best for a quick story time. Still, a worthwhile read for tea fans.
Cloud Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham. This book is quite different than most of the picture books about tea parties on this book list. Tashi goes to work on the tea plantations as a replacement for her mother, when her parent falls ill. She is too small and young to be an effective laborer, however, and she falls into despair. The mystical tea-picking monkeys of the Himalayas come to her rescue. A beautiful book with a wonderful story.
Tea with Oliver by Mika Song. A sweet and funny book about a cat who wants a partner for teatime. Philbert, a timid mouse wonders wants to join Oliver but he worries about how he can get Oliver to notice him. This story is not as much about the tea party as it is about making new friends.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr. This is a classic picture book about a friendly tiger who shows up one day, eats all the food and goes on his way. As a result the family has to go out to eat. There's just enough absurdism to keep things clever but not enough to overpower the story.
MORE: 1960s Picture Books
Tea for Me Tea for You by Laura Rader. Preschoolers will love this silly rhyming tea time party with ten pigs and one very exhausted waiter!
A Bargain for Frances by Russell Hoban. Who doesn't love this classic book about how Frances' friend Thema tricks her into buying her tea set. A wonderful, timeless story about friendship.
Mr Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea (series) by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard. I confess, even though Rylant's series is written for kids working on reading fluency I LOVED reading Mr. Putter and Tabby aloud to my kids. There are not many series for young readers that feature older characters and Mr. Putter's adventures with his cat, Tabby, are simply marvelous.
MORE: Easy Readers like Frog and Toad
And finally, can we discuss how awesome teaching your child to use a real tea set would be, and these Children's size china tea sets are ADORABLE.
Laurel says
Do not forget the marvelous Brimsby’s Hats by Andrew Prahin, which may not have “tea” in the title, but is absolutely tea-focused. We are tea drinkers in our household and Brimsby’s Hats is a real favorite of ours. Adults who love tea should check out Barbara Pym, whose books have a strong emphasis on the importance of hot milky drinks of all kinds...
Erica says
Thanks for the suggestion!
:Donna says
Erica, it's been a ridiculously long time since I've stopped by and I'm reminded of what I've been missing! I have a friend who's REALLY into tea and would love these books. What a great collection. And, of course, I love seeing Ame's book topping the list 😀 I hope all's well with you!
Erica says
Glad you stopped by again!
Alicia says
What a wonderful book list. I just ordered many of these from the local library for my preschool group's Friendship Tea Party. They are going to enjoy the selection of lovely books.
Donna J. Shepherd says
Great list. Thank you for your post and I will pin this. Love the name of your blog, too!
Andra says
I teach four-year olds in a public school, and each spring, we introduce Tea Time, a lovely experience that occurs each Friday with our students. The children learn special "tea time manners", how to set a proper table, and how to enjoy sweets and savories along with cups of herbal tea. We already read The Tiger Who Came to Tea, but this list is wonderful and we'll add many of these titles to our classroom library. Thank you!
Erica says
That sounds delightful! I'm so glad the books were of interest for you.