The Tea Dragon Society

This delightful middle grade manga-esque fantasy graphic novel follows a young girl as she discovers tea dragons and the people who care for them. Tea dragons are small dragons, somewhat feline in nature, whose horns produce leaves from which one can make various kinds of tea. They live for thousands of years and require near-constant attention to be kept alive and well. The story is in large part about the joy to be found in patient, exacting, rewarding work, especially of the kind that not everyone understands or that few people see the value in. The illustrations are the perfect combination of whimsy, detail, and charm. Whole-heartedly recommended.

Greta, a young goblin training with her blacksmith mother, rescues a strange creature from the local dogs one day in this delightful fantasy graphic novel from New Zealand author/artist Katie O'Neill, finding herself introduced to the world of Tea Dragons as a result. Befriended by the faun-like Hesekiel—more cervine than caprine, a deer-like figure on two legs—and his wheelchair-bound partner Erik, Greta learns about Tea Dragons, small draconite creatures who require great care from their human companions, and who grow tea leaves with mystical properties from their horns. Greta also befriends the shy Minette, a seeress who has forgotten her past, and who has sought shelter with Hesekiel and Erik, at the tea shop they run just show more outside town. Together, these four friends revive the defunct Tea Dragon Society...

The Tea Dragon Society is the first of three graphic novels about Tea Dragons—the subsequent two titles being The Tea Dragon Festival and The Tea Dragon Tapestry—and offers a lovely, gentle introduction to a wonderful world of magic, friendship and love, and some very unique dragons. I found O'Neill's artwork here, which has been described as very manga-inspired, absolutely delightful, and thought that the dragons were adorable! So too was Brick, Greta's little fire-creature companion, in her study to become a blacksmith. The color palette used, and the overall composition of the artwork was enchanting, and well-suited to the nature of the tale being told. Although not a lot happened over the course of the story, which is divided into four sections that correspond to the four seasons, I thought the narrative did an excellent job introducing our main characters and depicting how they came together as a group. O'Neill most likely didn't intend this as a stand-alone, so I was less bothered by the somewhat less than dramatic tone and rhythm of the story, than some other reviewers online. In fact, I appreciated the quiet, gentle pace of the tale, and the essential goodheartedness of all of the characters. I liked the fact that Hesekiel and Erik are a loving same-sex couple, and that this is just an accepted part of the story, rather than being a narrative focus, and I appreciated that their history was explained, through flashbacks. I also appreciated the inclusion of the "Tea Dragon Handbook" at the rear, discussing these creatures. Recommended to young comic-book/graphic novel readers who enjoy fantasy. For my own part, I have already requested the sequel from the library! show less

PERFECTION. OMG the art! The little details, the bits at chapter beginnings and between panels, the freaking adorable dragons! O'Neill seriously says 1000 words with her panels. Hese and Erik's story *cries*. Minette and Greta's friendship. The themes of disability (both physical and memory) and care and acceptance and tradition and consent (the adults consistently ask the girls if they're okay with things proceeding a certain way), all touched on and wrapped in a beautiful heartwarming little graphic novel of pure joy. Plus it's ADORABLE LITTLE POCKET DRAGONS and TEA. I am clearly incoherent after reading this book. This is the book I will return to when I'm having a bad day or just need that wonderful, comforting escape.

This book hits all me squee buttons, in a gentle and graphically pleasing story. Goblin lady blacksmiths and a magical iron pig. Deer and dragony hybrid sorts of folks. Loving relationships between all manner of people, and the most adorable (if needy) tiny tea dragons. I also love the themes of memory loss and surviving paralysis. It's a feast for the eyes and a quiet, sweet book. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Stood up well to a second reading.

Now see here, I may be the resident horror/thriller/true crime/all things macabre blogger, but I, too, am sometimes in need of a break from those things. While I do love me all the dark, dank, and creepy of the world, every once in awhile I yearn for a serious palate cleanser to take me down from a self made anxiety tower where I find myself perched all too often. So while at the desk at work the other day, my dear friend Tami (who is also the children’s librarian at my library) handed me this book and said “You are going to love this.” Boy oh boy, was she right, and was “The Tea Dragon Society” everything I needed in that moment!!! Hell, the cover alone gave me a vocal and physical reaction the moment I saw it. Namely show more "AWWWWW!"

“The Tea Dragon Society” is a calming and quiet graphic novel for kids, though I would argue that it’s suitable for all ages of youth AND adult as well. It takes place in an unspecified fantasy world, where there are dragons and goblins and animal creatures, and while none of it is really explained in depth, it really doesn’t have to be. This is just the world the story takes place in and it needs to explanation. We follow Greta, the daughter of a blacksmith who finds that her passion in life may actually be centered on Tea Dragon rearing. Tea dragons are dragons who grow tea leaves on their horns. Different kinds of dragons produce different kinds of tea. From Jasmine Dragons to Rooibos Dragons to Ginger Dragons, these creatures need love and attention to make the best leaves. IS THIS NOT THE CUTEST THING YOU’VE EVER HEARD? Maybe I’m biased, as I love love LOVE dragons, but the creativity and the gentle sweetness of it just hits me right in the feels.

And let’s talk about those who blacksmith and those who raise tea dragons, and what that means for gender roles in this world. Right off the bat we are introduced to Greta’s mother, who is teaching Greta how to blacksmith. Greta’s mother is implied to be one of the best blacksmiths around, and it is Greta’s father who is the artist within the family. It was so refreshing to see a mother teaching her daughter a craft that is often associated with masculinity, and teaching her the family business. While Greta has some reservations about blacksmithing and her personal devotion to it, it’s never because of her gender. Along with that, the people who raise the tea dragons are two men, Hesekiel and Erik (though Heseikiel is some kind of animalesque being, kind of looking like a llama?). Erik used to be an adventurer, but after an accident those days are behind him. However, he is never shown as being weakened or at a disadvantage because he lost this previous life. On the contrary, he’s settled into a new life of dragon rearing and gardening as well as maintaining the home that he and his partner Hesekiel share.

We also get some really good diversity in this book, as Greta and her family are darker skinned, as is Erik. Along with that, Erik is in a wheelchair because of an accident in his past. As mentioned before, Erik and Hesekiel are romantic as well as business partners, and their relationship is so lovely and shows years of devotion and caring. Minette, Erik and Hesekiel’s ward, is also representative of a different ability set, and while I don’t really want to spoil it here, I will say that she also shows that with these inherent disadvantages she can still do what she loves. In the picture of the previous Tea Dragon Society there was also diversity, showing that just about anyone could take on this life and be successful at it. While I do think that explicit discussions of why diversity matters, and being explicit about these differences in these stories are important, I also like seeing normalized diversity such as in this world. Especially since fantasy and sci-fi does have a diversity problem within the stories that are told. This goes to show that it can be done and that it should be done.

And yes, we need to talk about the dragons. Because holy crap are they just the cutest things ever. There are so many designs for these different kinds of dragons, and O’Neill made it so that they do kind of represent the various teas that their horns produce. The Chamomile Dragon (the yellow one above) always looks a little relaxed and sleepy. The Rooibos Dragon (the red one above) looks spiky and rambunctious. The Earl Grey Dragon looks dignified and regal. And so on. To make these dragons so varied and yet still similar amongst themselves is such a great design, and it goes to show that dragons don’t always have to be big and daunting and fearsome. Though hey, I’m never going to complain about those kinds of dragons either.

“The Tea Dragon Society” was the right bit of fluff I needed in my life to give me an overdose on cuteness while building a lovely fantasy world. I can’t recommend it enough to not only children and parents, but also to people who like fantasy. Or those like me who really just need a relaxing read once in awhile. While O’Neill says that the story has concluded, I would be so pleased if someday she decides to revisit these characters and the lovely world that they live within. show less

Every now and then you just need something light and cute to relax and refresh your mind, and boy did this fit the bill! Not only are the characters cute, but the tea dragons are so adorable! And when the dragons are pictured in their winter clothes, it is such a cute overload I could die!

The story of Minette and Greta’s blooming friendship is so heartwarming, it gives me feels. And I absolutely adored Hesekiel and Erik’s backstory. And the way tea dragons mourn their owners for several years before being able to move on, is such a great way to personify how pets might handle changing owners.

The pace of life for Tea Dragon Society and caring for tea dragons as a fading art, in preference for faster paced things is such a real show more metaphor for modern times versus the olden days. I can really appreciate the ongoing message that artful and skilled craft, such as blacksmithing and Tea Dragon care, are things that should be treasured and preserved.

The story of Tea Dragon Society is too wholesome and pure for this world. I hope lots more volumes are published, and I also want my own tea dragon. show less

The Tea Dragon Society is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel with a gentle delivery of themes of grief and perseverance through community and friendship. I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of well-written LGBT characters whose orientation was not the focus of the story. Characters grapple with real world, heavy problems that are not magically solved by the whimsical tea dragons; rather, the characters' shared respect for the art of caring for tea dragons brings them together to heal and grow as a community.