This was a great children's story to show kids that it's not the material things that matter, instead it is the people around you that matter. I loved the illustrations. It is such an enjoyable little story that can be used to teach children about how to interact with people

This story about learning to do things for yourself, and the satisfaction that goes with it, was clear but not preachy. We go along with the queen as she discovers this for herself—we are not beaten over the head with the message. The illustrations are vivid and have lots of things to interest a child. They remind me a lot of Maurice Sendak’s work.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Can’t think of anything.

Who Might Like This Book:
Kids who are becoming more independent, and parents who want to help them on that journey.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. This book also reviewed at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2017/08/a-panoply-of-picturebooks.html and on Amazon, Goodreads and Librarything.

Every morning the Queen wakes up, is dressed and has her hair done by a team of servants and is thenn served a cup of tea by her butler, James. Each day, the tea tastes worse and worse until, unable to bear it any longer, the Queen and her loyal butler set off in hot air balloon in search of the perfect cup of tea.
The Queen meets three children on her journey. Each child invites her to do something new and different (like snuggle kittens) and then has her help them make tea. The Queen finally discovers the secret to a perfect cup of tea (you make it yourself and you share it with others) and invites her new friends to the palace for a tea party.
This is such a delightful book! I loved the Queen's journey in a hot air balloon and her realization the the end about what makes cup of tea perfect is so sweet. The illustrations where wonderful; each page was a delight. The Queen has a striking resemblance to Queen Victoria and the abundance of corgis in the background was a fun touch. This is a beautiful story with a sweet message!

Beautiful illustrations weave together the ideas of independence, self-sufficiency, and sharing among friends and across cultures.

One of my favorite things to do is to enjoy a lovely cup of tea. I originally requested to read this because of my love for tea and I am so happy that I did. Upon first reading you meet a spoiled Queen that everyone bends over backwards for; from doing her hair, dressing her up, and even making her a pot of tea. But this tea is no longer good to the Queen so she goes abroad in her hot air balloon with her butler James in pursuit of the perfect cup of tea. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Queen landing in different places around the world, experiencing new things and trying different ways of making tea. She not only learned to do things on her own, but she enjoyed the company of the children that she meets along the way. The lesson learned, that tea is enjoyed much more with others, really made me smile. The whole story made me smile, from the repetitiveness in the words, to meeting the different children, playing with them and enjoying time with them. This story may not jump out for children to grab, however, I do feel this is a fun and unique story to be shared.

This picture book is almost subversive. It's certainly sneaky, slipping messages of multiculturalism, self-sufficiency, and the value of friendship into an outwardly simple story about making tea. We see the Queen gradually learning how to make her own cup of tea and relaxing her stiff posture and formal appearance. She sacrifices strict dignity for happiness. . It's a pleasure to read. The text isn't overly complicated but flows naturally and conversationally. The detailed drawings convey their message well and do a great job of capturing facial expressions. A great book for older kids as you can build off so many topics

A pampered, spoiled queen travels across her kingdom for the perfect cup of tea. Along the way she meets some of her subjects and ends up learning a valuable lesson about sharing and being self-sufficient.

Having to get up, be dressed by your maids, have your hair stylist work their magic on you, and every day order your butler to bring you tea can become quite boring and tedious when you are a Queen. Her majesty becomes discontented and very grumpy. She decides she dislikes the taste of her tea. She and James her butler fly off on a world-wide hot air ballon tour in search of the perfect brew to satisfy her disgruntled taste buds.

She visits a child in Japan, one in India and also in Turkey. Each child entices her to engage in the fun activities of their every day life. She snuggles a kitty ("That was rather strenuous"), dribbles a basketball ("Her Majesty does not dribble," James informs the child. "Well then, it's time she tried.") She even takes part in some vigorous energetic dance moves. After each performance the Queen finds herself parched and asks for a cup of tea. The children wholeheartedly respond and lead the fatigued Monarch into their respective kitchens. They then teach her how to make the perfect cup of tea according to their culture.

The Queen learns that the three secrets to making the best cup of tea possible are:

*make the tea yourself
*milk and sugar are optional
* but the most important thing is to share your tea with friends

This simple act of kindness can be enough to start a lifelong friendship and a guarantee that many more cups will be shared together in the future. Happiness is truly a hug in a teacup!

The vintage style illustrations are amusing and humorous. They are coloured-pencil and depict perfectly the evolution of the Queen from an uptight elite to a free-spirited, open-minded, fun-loving aristocrat. I really enjoyed this book, especially the illustrations. It was a very fun read indeed.

One of my favorite things to do is to enjoy a lovely cup of tea. I originally requested to read this because of my love for tea and I am so happy that I did. I personally find Gabi Swiatkowska's illustrations within this picture book to be slightly creepy, but that is personally preference and not necessarily a deal breaker on the book. Upon first reading you meet a spoiled Queen that everyone bends over backwards for; from doing her hair, dressing her up, and even making her a pot of tea. But this tea is no longer good to the Queen so she goes abroad in her hot air balloon with her butler James in pursuit of the perfect cup of tea. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Queen landing in different places around the world, experiencing new things and trying different ways of making tea. She not only learned to do things on her own, but she enjoyed the company of the children that she meets along the way. The lesson learned, that tea is enjoyed much more with others, really made me smile. The whole story made me smile, from the repetitiveness in the words, to meeting the different children, playing with them and enjoying time with them. This story may not jump out for children to grab, however, I do feel this is a fun and unique story to be shared.

How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea will make a wonderful addition to all children's libraries. Beautiful illustrations and a fun story line make for a very engaging adventure. A Queen who is very much interested in only her wants learns what it takes to make her tea. Great for curious readers. I would highly recommend this book!