While there are lots of tea-themed picture books about little girls, I came across one on the NetGalley review site recently that stars a young boy and would be perfect for the little guys in our lives whom we're trying to introduce to tea. A rhyming picture book translated from Dutch, A Cup of Tea? is the sweet story of a little boy who is trying to get his parents to play with him. First, his mother comes home from work and he's hoping she'll play with him, but she wants "a nice cup of tea" first. His aunt comes over to visit his mother, and she, too, wants to sit and enjoy a cup of tea.

Finally Daddy comes home from work, and the little boy just knows fun time is about to begin. Alas, Daddy, too, needs "a nice cup of tea." The creative little boy decides to set up a late-night tea party for his parents, but alas, he forgets to make the tea! All's well that ends well, though, as the boy's parents tell him, "instead of having just a plain cup of tea, they said that they'd rather have a special 'cup of me'!"

The book's whimsical illustrations are pleasing on their own, but they are also interspersed with tea dribbles and stains, making an already charming picture book even more so. A Cup of Tea? will be published on October 16, and I think it will appeal to quite a few tea lovers!

More for absentee parents then kids! Kids will enjoy this story, while parents get a reprimand. All's well, however when the family FINALLY spends time together at the end.I enjoyed the story very much and loved the illustrations.

A lovely book for very young children. Written as poetry so easy to read. Simple illustrations that children will love.

At the arrival home of his mother a young boy has high hopes of playing with her but because of the day out that she has had she needs a few minutes to rest--and drink a cup of tea. As he waits someone else arrives and the tea party continues. As the day passes the little boy worries that he will not get to spend time with his mother and father-- that by the time all of the tea drinking business has been completed that the day will be gone!

As he thinks over what he could possibly do he comes up the with best idea of how to spend time with the ones that he loves!

This was a sweet book with an inventive young boy who simply wants to spend some time with his mother and father amid the tea drinking culture. The illustrations were adorable--I loved the touch of tea cup rings found amid the story.

A Cup of Tea shows busy parents and a little guy who just wants to draw dinosaurs and collect bugs with his mom and dad. As he wrestles with one delay after another he finally comes up with the idea to set up his own "tea" and invites his parents. The illustrations are really well done, complete with tea rings on every page and the clothing on the characters harkens back to earlier times. This is a story that reaches kids on their level!

I am sure that every tired mom and dad on the planet can attest to the message in this charming tale. The illustrations are amazing and packed with detail, action and emotion. Tea-stained pages tell the story perfectly. The storyline is simple but powerful and the book is written in rhyme. What could be better?

Mommy staggers home from being overworked and focuses on relaxing and sipping a lovely, soothing cup of tea to calm herself after a nerve-racking day. Her little boy who has been waiting patiently for her to come through the door wants her to engage in a bug hunt with him but it seems that just might be a pipe dream at the moment. Maybe, he reckons, if she rests up a spell she will get a second wind and then come play with him. Wishful thinking...mmmmmm?

The doorbell rings and his Aunt Margaret appears. With her entrance his hope of exclusively having his mommy exits. Auntie finally leaves and the little boy changes his strategy as how to engage mommy. Maybe instead of the vigorous bug hunt he had planned, he and she could sit quietly and draw a dinosaur together. Yes, that might be more relaxing for her. Just as he is gathering up the needed art supplies he hears a "hello" amid the "good-byes." Oh my goodness! Who could that possibly be NOW to foil his plans?

This heartwarming story is told through the eyes of a small child. He cleverly figures out a way to get both his parents involved in spending some quality time with him. What could his plan be? Will he finally be successful in orchestrating some family time together? I love the ending... it fits the story to a "t"!

I loved the way the theme of " a cup of tea" was woven throughout the book and how the little boy himself becomes one. Very lovely book, it is word play at its best. I highly recommend it.

I always enjoy picture books in rhyme. They are fun to read aloud to children. This book is told in rhyme with engaging illustrations. I think all readers, young or old, can relate to this child's experience of waiting (not so patiently) for an adult to finish doing "adult" things and take some time to play. I'm sure all parents can relate to the feelings of exhaustion after a long day of work, mixed with the desire to spend time with (and not disappoint) a child.

This story makes you go ahhhhhhhh. A little boy just wants to have fun with his mom and dad, but they set down to tea to relax and great guests. The rhymes work well and the illustrations do too. If you are a tea drinker with kids, this book is perfect for you.

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Perfect book illustrating the importance of family time and finding the balance between having that "nice cup of tea" and spending quality time with your family.

Kid wants to play with his parents, who are too tired when they get home from work. At other times it seems like it’s going to happen when another interruption takes place, with tea always a part of it.
The artwork is watercolor-y and a bit strange, even though it’s mostly in a style I’ve seen from other children’s books. The writing is small and hard to read, at least on the electronic version. There is excellent rhyming, which is becoming a lost art. “Once again my adventures were undone by a kettle/it gets so much use now I know why it’s metal.” Wonder if a kid that young would know what a kettle is, or at least the name for it, but okay.
Can’t help but think that if this was written in the US, it would be a beer instead of tea.
Hadn’t realized I’d read another book by this same author; just like this one is about tea, that one was chocolate. This is a cute story, but I think the chocolate one was better.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

This book tells about a little boy's dilemma. His parents come home from work and he wants to spend time with them playing. He wants to hunt bugs or draw a dinosaur, but all they want is a cup of tea. This is such a real experience for so many families. How do you balance time playing with your children with working and family chores. This little boy comes up with an idea that works despite his mistakes. His parents let him know they love him and want to spend some time with him. Cute water colour illustrations fit this story to a tea. A good book for family libraries.

Life keeps us busy with work, school, activities and errands, there hardly seems time to connect with those that matter most. This cute book is about the importance of family time. I really love the illustrations. They are so beautiful and eye catching. Very pretty book!

This is just a lovely and really quite poignant book. It tells the story of a little boy who just wants to play with his parents. But those parents are just shattered after work and all they want is a cup of tea. So he adapts his plans from drawing dinosaurs and hunting bugs to inviting them to a tea party just to spend time with them. But he forgets the tea.

My daughter (5) loved this to bits. As a little girl with two working parents she totally got this little boys frustration! But we both liked the flow of this, it has an excellent rythmn and rhyme that made it both a pleasure to read to her and for her to read. All round top marks to this one!

This is a gentle book about a boy trying to make time with his mother and father who have both come home from work and all they want is a nice cup of tea. It is so hard for him to be patient, and wait for them to finally have time for him.

In the end, he makes them a tea party, but forgets to make any tea, but that's ok, because they both say that they would want to have a cup of him instead.

The only problem I have with this book, and oh, ho, here it comes, is that the pictures make it look as though it took place in the 1930s, but both parents were at work. The other odd things is that, yes, both parents were at work, but there is no sign of a baby sitter, or nanny or any such thing.

I'm probably reading to much into this, and this will probably resonate with young children who only want their parents attention when they are too exhausted to give it.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

A delightful family story, with pretty illustrations to go along with it. I loved the poetry and the tea stains throughout the book were a nice touch. I would really enjoy reading this with my son.

An excellent, funny, and culturally appropriate work on the importance of family time.

Gorgeous, detailed, whimsical illustrations fill the pages of this sweet, rhyming picture book. And there's always something new to observe in the stunning illustrations. A story about a boy who hopes to spend time with his parents after they both have hard days at work. That time gets delayed (when they each need a cup of tea) but in the end the boy is assured of his parent's love. The rhymes work for the most part other than a forced line or two. Younger children may need help with vocabulary words like "berserk" (rhymes with "work"). Still, five stars.