Tea Rex

As the narrator holds forth on the proper protocols for holding afternoon tea in this sweetly humorous picture-book, a young girl and boy welcome a T-Rex to their home and tea table. From 'helping' (i.e.: pulling) him in the door to offering him a seat, they follow the protocols, although the end result is perhaps not what Emily Post had in mind. Still, fun is had by all, and the children too receive an invitation to tea...

The first in a series of picture-books devoted to the adventures of this rather human T-Rex and his friends, Tea Rex is an amusing take on a classic childhood occupation - the high art of imaginative high tea. I've enjoyed Molly Idle's books about Flora and her various dance partners (Flora and the Flamingo, Flora and show more the Penguin), and likewise enjoyed this. I don't know that it's quite as inventive as the Flora books, but it still has a gentle and quirky appeal. Recommended to young dinosaur lovers and tea takers. show less

Prim and proper Cordelia invites a dinosaur to tea. The invitation is on the opening endpaper, and the text of the book is a set of instructions ("When hosting an afternoon tea for a special friend - greet your guest at the door"), which provides a dramatic counterpoint to the chaos that ensues in the illustrations (the dinosaur's idea of "small talk" is a giant, friendly ROAR!).

See also: What Do You Do, Dear? and What Do You Say, Dear?

*

Re-read March 2019

It might be my ridiculous love for tea, but I absolutely loved this book! It's just so adorable and the fact that there are dinosaurs makes it so much better. The text is short, sweet, and written in the manner of a proper tea-party throwing young lady. The clean, pastel colored illustrations at first appear just as proper, however soon reveal the impending chaos involved in inviting a t-rex to tea. The disconnect forces the reader/listeners to utilize their imaginations to fill in the blanks. A tea party at its best!

4* for how cute it is, but 3* for storytime. Visual jokes are just so hard in a group, and the contrast of the words and pictures went over the heads of my kiddos.

On the other hand, I'll definitely invite a t-rex to my next tea party.

I was at my university's bookstore waiting to buy textbooks and saw this book on one of the racks..and decided to have a flip through it and ended up reading it full through. Its a cute little story, very quick and delightful with nice illustrations. Would be a nice read aloud story for children at a tea party or preparing to host a tea party.

Loved the art. The book was too literal for me: I not only do not need an instruction manual for hosting a tea party, I'm not sure anyone does.

Library copy.

Having a tea party with a T-Rex is a fantastic idea. The book was written very well, showing those curious how to throw a great t party, but the illustrations are very odd in comparison to the prim descriptions of a tea party. The illustrations describe a great quiet t party, but the pictures that go with show the craziness that really happens.