Teacup

by Rebecca Young, Matt Ottley (Illustrator)

Overview

A stunning picture book that addresses life’s big journeys with hope, beauty, and reassurance

School Library Journal [STARRED REVIEW!]  
“[A] moving, allegorical tale… inspiring reflection and empathy”
 
Kirkus Reviews [STARRED REVIEW!] 
“A potent discussion starter… Enchanting, beautiful, and full of hope. “
 
Booklist [STARRED REVIEW!]  
“A lyrical tale of leaving home and finding a new one…Thought-provoking and arrestingly beautiful.”

A boy must leave his home and find another. He brings with him a teacup full of earth from the place where he grew up, and sets off to sea. Some days, the journey is peaceful, and the skies are cloudless and bright. Some days, storms threaten to overturn his boat. And some days, the smallest amount of hope grows into something glorious. At last, the boy finds land, but it doesn't feel complete . . . until another traveler joins him, bearing the seed to build a new home.
 
With lyrical text and gorgeous artwork, this poignant picture book is perfect for discussing all of life’s toughest challenges—a big move, a divorce, long-distance separation, or even the current refugee crisis—in a way that’s reassuring and inspiring for children and adults alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735227774
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/04/2016
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD590L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rebecca Young grew up in suburban Sydney with two brothers, a swing set, and the scent of gardenias. Her days were filled with chalk drawings on driveways, backyard battles, journal ramblings, and a whole lot of picture books. These days Rebecca enjoys working with words and pictures as both a children’s book author and publisher.
 
Matt Ottley is an illustrator and musician living in New South Wales, Australia, with his partner in a peaceful little cottage. He was born in Papua New Guinea, and loves woodworking, tea, and wildlife.

Editorial Reviews

…Teacup wows with Matt Ottley's painterly illustrations that use color and light to show a breathtaking planet…In spare, lyrical language Rebecca Young describes the voyage in just enough words to let us know the boy is sometimes sad, sometimes lonely and sometimes purely awed by the majesty of the world around him…Readers will be left satisfied and at peace.

The New York Times Book Review - Deborah Ellis

* "Enchanting, beautiful, and full of hope."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "While the journey and its inherent uncertainty is naturally a fitting metaphor for growing up, connections to actual sea travel and subtle hints about turmoil in the boy’s homeland suggest connections to immigration stories as well...This pleasantly minimalist and contemplative story is quietly thought-provoking and arrestingly beautiful."—Booklist, starred review

* "A beautifully crafted story that’s perfect for sharing aloud and discussing with a small group."—School Library Journal, starred review

"Ottley’s ravishing paintings of ocean and sky distinguish this story."—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

★ 2016-07-20
In a book that combines short, poetic sentences with dramatic visual art, a light-skinned boy, needing a new home, sets off to sea in a rowboat.As the boy begins his odyssey, his knapsack contains only “a book, a bottle, and a blanket. In his teacup he held some earth from where he used to play.” Vast expanses of sea and sky are conveyed both in monumental oil paintings and by the white or colored negative space of some double-page spreads. The text and artwork complement each other to produce a journey that combines elements of reality and dreamlike images. The palette ranges from pale to vibrant, and details are striking—the boy’s lengthening hair, sun dappling a birch. Ominous clouds never become horrific; hardships such as hunger are not addressed. The rhythm of the text, as well as its gentle alliterations and occasional rhymes, makes it an excellent bedtime read-aloud. There is poignancy—and mystery—in “how things can change with a whisper.” Why did the boy leave his beloved home? Readers are never told, making this book a potent discussion starter. The care given to both art and text elevate the simplicity of the life-is-a-journey-fraught-with-uncertainty message. The delightful results of his determination to hold onto his soil-filled teacup and an unexpectedly sweet ending add to that message the notion that those who strive and dream will eventually thrive. Enchanting, beautiful, and full of hope. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews