The Tea Dragon Tapestry
By: Katie O’Neill
5.0 / 5.0

I absolutely love the Tea Dragon series. The illustrations are adorable and makes me want my own tea dragon. They need to make Tea Dragon merch! I would buy all of it!
The storyline is fantastical, but still, strangely, relatable. I cannot recommend this series more. It’s amazing. I fully support Katie O’Neill. I was honored to be able to read this book before it came out, but that won’t stop me from buying a copy myself. I need this book in my collection.

Author’s Site: https://ktoneill.com/index.php/about-me/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Dragon-Tapestry-Society/dp/1620107740/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DYJ5XUIWUE3X&dchild=1&keywords=the+tea+dragon+tapestry&qid=1594329320&sprefix=The+tea+dragon+ta%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tea-dragon-tapestry-katie-oneill/1136471857?ean=9781620107744


This review will appear on my blog on August 31, 2020.

I loved this book! In one word: beautiful. This book is absolutely beautiful. The characters are beautiful. The colors are beautiful. The art style is pure magic. I can’t even describe properly how much I adored it. It’s such a wholesome and pure story. It just makes my heart happy. The folklore involving the tea dragons is fascinating. I loved learning more about them. This book has a bunch of fall and early winter vibes, which make it very peaceful.

You’ll never get me to stop gushing about Katie O’Neill! This series is so special to me, I can’t explain the way I feel when I read about this society. Can I please live in this world? I didn’t think that these books could get any better than they already were, but I have been proven wrong! This book is a lush tapestry of love & growth forged through grief, loss of passion, and homesickness. As soon as this book hits shelves I am running out to buy my copy so that I can cherish it for years to come & share it with everyone that I can.

I love this series so so much! The atmosphere, the story, the characters; this series has the complete package. The third installment was yet again a wonderful one, one which explores the inner struggle of finding yourself and your place in the world. I loved it from beginning to end. The illustrations made the story so much more alive, and I was captivated by them.
Can highly recommend!

This is my 4th katie o neil book I've read, and all have them have been 5 stars for me! I love her characters and the casual representation her stories provide. Im an Illustration student currently in art college and Katie has become one of my biggest inspirations. Her use of color is perfection, and her characters designs are so unique and beautiful. Im so sad to see the tea dragon series end, but this was such a good conclusion! My eyes were tearing up in the epilogue!

Absolutely LOVE the illustrations. Such beautiful colors. Heart warming, adorable, and precious. I think this may be my favorite one of the series. Thank you so much for this arc to the publisher and netgalley!

ARC was provided by NetGalley and OniPress in exchanged for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (September 1st, 2020)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Grief, depictions of depression, and loss of a loved one


“Every Dragon is different, too. And Ginseng Dragons are known to be very loyal.”

Friends, are you really surprised that I fell in love with another book by Katie O’Neill? I loved the first two books and have loved other works by Katie O’Neill. When I found out about The Tea Dragon Tapestry, I instantly knew I wanted to read it as soon as possible. The fact that this is supposed to be a conclusion to this series has me wanting even more from this world. Keeping those fingers crossed for more book featuring Tea Dragons and new characters to fall in love with!

Our story brings all the characters we’ve met from the first two books together, but also introduces us to a new character, a master blacksmith, who comes to seek the work of Greta. Our cast is so delightful, voice their challenges or personal struggles, and wonderfully diverse. And of course, so many important topics are discussed and addressed in this book.


“You feel like you’ve lost your path. It’s natural to be sad. It’s alright to let those feelings wash over you, and give them time to soak into the earth. That’s when things start to grow again.”


I really loved that we get to see more of Minette and her journey. If you remember from the last book, Minette seems to have some memory loss and also the new owner of Chamomile. We see how Minette handles feeling like she’s strayed off her path and how she finds her way back to feeling like herself. Speaking of which, I loved the moment she shared with Eric and gave a bit a wisdom that really had an impact with Minette. And that leads me to believe the first series topic that you can see so much of throughout this book is a feeling of being lost or missing something that was once something that sparked life in your soul.

Of course, I have to talk about grief and loss of a loved one. While it’s a more subtle theme, we see how grief and death impacts someone, and those around them. When Ginseng was first given to Greta in the last book, we learned that Ginseng previous owner had died. We knew Ginseng was grieving, but we never got more insight to it. However, this book shows Ginseng grieving and the depression that can come along with that. So we get to see both sides of the grief that’s taking place in this book. There’s a moment where Greta is trying to get Ginseng to eat something which leads to a moment of both parties feeling emotions of sadness and loss. When Greta’s Papa came into the picture, they spoke a truth that hit so deep within my soul. That very moment is so powerful, so important, and I think one of the best scenes in this entire book.

I also really loved the master blacksmith, Kleitos. I thought they were a fantastic character to introduce into this story. I liked how they’re a character who seems to be around the same age range as Erik and Hesekiel. And I loved how Kleitos talks about how losing the passion and inspiration for their blacksmithing. I loved those scenes where Kleitos is figuring things out and how sometimes you need to take a step back or to take a break from it all. Greta and Kleitos also shared a moment and I quote, “Looking at this work, I see that you have much to learn… but I also see that I do too.” When I read that, my heart filled with so much warmth. Even though Kleitos is a master blacksmith, felt like they lost their passion and love for their work, that single moment shows that you can still learn in your craft, there are still things that can surprise you, and rekindle that flame within you. A fantastic character to add into this book!


“My dear, that is something you cannot control. When someone is grieving, the best thing you can do is let them heal on their own, and show them that you’ll be there for them.”


Overall, this book is soft, filled with many important topics, of course wonderful family dynamics, but fills the soul with so much warmth and wholesomeness. Tea Dragons are probably my favorite dragons now, thanks to Katie O’Neill. And as I mentioned, I truly hope we see more of this series, these characters, and this world. I feel like there’s so much that hasn’t been explored yet. I can’t wait to see what O’Neill comes up with next and hopefully we’ll see more Tea Dragons soon! If you were thinking about picking any of these book, I highly recommend them. They’re soft books laced with important topics that everyone needs to read about. Plus, the illustrations are always stunning!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Even if you feel like reading this graphic novel in one sitting since it's a page-turner, I recommend to read it slowly. Or to reread it many, many times; basically anytime you want a gentle and wholesome story about tolerance and kindness with art that makes your heart happy.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Oni Press for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Tea Dragon Society series is a beautiful, quiet, and enchanting series. This final book really wraps up the series nicely. It brings back all of the characters from the previous two books, and weaves together another amazing story about found family and forging your own path. The illustrates are beautiful, and will have readers wishing they could have a tea dragon of their own. This graphic novel is great for readers of all ages.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an e-arc of this book to review. I love the Tea Dragons - the first one was so beautiful and the second was a great follow-up. This book had a beautiful way of combining the first two books and it was really lovely. The art is so stunning and the messaging is great and gentle - it is able to touch on grief, homesickness, family and relationships all in a really approachable way. I think these books are a great read for all ages and seriously, if anyone wants to start a Tea Dragon Society please let me know - I would like to have an adorable Rooibos myself! Loved this book!

An adorable and beautifully illustrated graphic novel. I'm not greatly familiar with the series, however the plot and narrative of this one is incredibly moving and thought provoking for a children's book. I really recommend it.

I want to thank the publisher and author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Everything that happens is part of your wholeness. The sadness, the loss, the hurt, as well as the joy, the love, the friendship--it is all part of your tapestry."

I absolutely love this series! They are charming little stories with meaningful messages. The artwork is adorable and the color palette is spot on. This is very much a story of transition and change; from the seasons themselves, going from autumn to winter, and with the characters finding their new place and purpose in the world. It's also a story about healing. The author is able to pack so much into this story without feeling weighed down or preachy. The well crafted dialogue and accompanying artwork speaks volumes. I already own the previous books and the card game. :) I can't wait to purchase a hardcopy of this! Don't forget to check out the authors many other works. I highly recommend Aquicorn Cove.

(quotes are subject to change with the finished copy)

5/5
Every single time O’Neill writes and illustrates another book I am more and more impressed.
The art is absolutely phenomenal, some of my favorite of all time.
Each of her books is filled with very sweet drawings, and a great lesson for everyone to learn.
This is no exception.
I will continue to read every book she writes, and these will be books I hand down to my kids as well, the art will captivate anyone, and each one has something new for everyone to learn and to appreciate.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oni Press for the review copy.

The Tea Dragon Tapestry series is a delightful and heartwarming series. A fantasy tale used as a backdrop to tell a story of growing up and all the things that go into it - grief, love, acceptance of yourself and others. This final book in the series continues the wonderful feeling these books have given me as well as wrapping the tale up in a satisfying and comforting way. The writing style as always is absolutely gorgeous. I look forward to any future work from Katie O'Neill.

There are not enough words in the English language to encompass the awesomeness that was reading this story but if I tried it might look something like this: CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!!
There was diversity, LGBTQ rep, and non-ableism coupled with absolutely mesmerizing art that I can't get enough of and a lovely story that is filled with lore and all kinds of details that make it believable.
This book will make whoever picks it up at least a little bit happier.
Thank you to Oni Press and Netgalley for this DRC.

Continuation of the Dragon Tea series. It is a delightful story which can be a standalone read. The illustrations are magnificent. The life lessons on grief, acceptance, moving on and facing change can be adapted by all ages. I look forward to reading more about the dragons and their owners.

Wow! Honestly I'm blown away by this. This isnt my typical read, but I enjoyed this so much. It's light hearted, had great lessons and the relationships in this are just so pure and enjoyable.
The art. The art is everything. This is one of the most beautiful graphic novels I have read in a long time. I plan to buy all three volumes and read them to my kid as well. I'm sure he'll be asking for his very own tea dragon. 🖤
Thank you so much for providing me with this title for review. This is the kind of wholesome content we need in the world right now.

I didn't quite gel with the story and the art of this book. I buddy read this with my younger sibling and we both couldn't get into the story itself.

The Tea Dragon series is such a wonderful series that there's literally no reason to not to read this! The Tea Dragon Tapestry is the third volume and continues magnificently the story line. I really love the thoughtfulness and the tranquility of the stories. Greta takes care of Ginseng now, but sadly so the little dragon cannot get past the loss of its previous owner. At the same time Greta tries her best to become the blacksmith Kleitos' apprentice by creating something only she can make. Minette struggles with who she is and who she's supposed to be. All the other characters help these two with their journeys to find the best way to be and live. There's beautiful philosophy, peace and understanding that's deep and profound. Such an outstanding series! I just wish we could see more of the past.

The art is once again splendid with rich and vivid colors without black line art. This softens the comic and it's the perfect choice. O'Neill moves the story so well, sometimes with words and other times with pictures alone and this combination is wonderful. The Tea Dragon Tapestry works for everyone and offers different things to different readers. It's very rich and multifaceted and you cannot but to enjoy this.

I got an ARC of this book.

A few things have become clear to me while reading this book and this series:

1. I have been born in the wrong world. I should have been raising tea dragons and making tapestries.
2. O’Neill is amazing and I should just assume I will love any book she puts out.
3. This is a shining example of what diversity in children’s books should be.

So tea dragons are the best invention since tea. The dragons are so full of personality and they are exactly the sort of creature I would devote my life to. They are honestly perfection. I have the card game and no matter how many times I play it, the dragons never lose their appeal. This book is really a wrap-up for all the humans and one dragon dragon in the series, but the tea dragons are around doing tea dragon things. The more lore that is revealed about tea dragons the more that I love them.

The art is gorgeous. The plots are touching. I loved this book. I just can’t think of enough good things to say about it. I have already annoyed people by making them listen to me reading it and sending them my reactions while demanding they read it. Every few pages was another thing I just found breathtaking.

The diversity is not forced. It is natural and it works in the story. There is not diversity for diversity sake. You can tell when an author is just ticking boxes to get in the right character to be cool. O’Neill doesn’t do that. The characters are alive and the way they are makes sense. There are sometimes plots around the diversity, but rarely in the way that feels like that is all the character exists for. In this book, one of the characters talks about how he handled finding a new passion in life after while adventuring he had an accident. The fact the character was in a wheelchair has never been hidden, but it was never a huge portion of the book. Instead of it being about how “brave” he is, it was about how he learned that just because you lived your life one way for years doesn’t mean that your life will always be that way. He found a love for being domestic that he never expected since he was an adventurer and always had been. The amount of life and depth the characters have is just astounding.

This is a great book and the series is magnificent. Highly recommend.