Tea Is Love
by Adib Khorram; illus. by Hanna Cha
Primary    Dial    40 pp.
10/25    9780593618530    $18.99

Tea begins as a plant, plucked from misty hillsides. It is transported to a teahouse, purchased, and then steeped and shared. From there, it appears in many forms: poured at a wedding, brewed for tired new parents, sipped on a quiet morning, shared with a neighbor. Khorram’s spare, rhythmic text strings together such brief declarations as “Tea is a plant,” “Tea is a ceremony,” and “Tea is a memory,” with frequent interjections of the refrain “And tea is love.” The effect is meditative and expansive, showing tea not only as a drink but also as a vessel of history, tradition, and connection. Cha’s watercolor illustrations expand on each phrase, turning words into full scenes that convey both intimacy and community. Swirls of steam drift across the spreads, linking vignette to vignette and making the book feel fluid and continuous. These visual transitions give the minimal text added resonance, so the story unfolds not as a straight line but rather as a tapestry of experiences. The book’s simplicity invites young readers to consider its themes of tradition, memory, and care. An author’s note places tea in its global and historical context. Together, words and pictures create a work as warming and sustaining as the drink itself.

From the November/December 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.