Tea Time

by Beth Ferry, Dana Wulfekotte (Illustrator)

Overview

A migh-TEA mix-up leads to a delightful day for a little girl and her grampy.

Frannie and Grandy both have an idea about what the perfect day should look like, but when that day arrives, there is a migh-TEA mix-up. Tea gets splashed, sandwiches smashed, and expectations, crushed. Luckily, Frannie and Grandy discover that a perfect day is just one they spend together.

New York Times bestselling author Beth Ferry partners with award-winning illustrator Dana Wulfekotte to bring us a funny and tender ode to the relationship between children and grandparents.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781524741082
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/01/2021
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Beth Ferry is the author of many books for young readers including Stick and Stone, Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish, and The Scarecrow. She lives by the boardwalk in New Jersey where she has played, and lost, many rounds of miniature golf. As a child, her favorite part of the game was keeping score with the tiny little pencil on the tiny little score sheet. She also enjoyed the ice cream cone that invariably followed. You can learn more at bethferry.com.

Dana Wulfekotte is a freelance animator and children's book author and illustrator. She is the author-illustrator of Rabbit & Possum and illustrated the Schneider Family Honor book, The Remember Balloons (written by Jessie Oliveros). While she isn't much of a golfer, she does drink a lot of tea. She lives in Queens with her husband and two rabbits.

Editorial Reviews

03/29/2021

Oh, homophones! In this picture book, they’re the source of much comic trouble between a bubbly little hippo named Frannie and her loving grandfather Grandy. The two have an excursion planned, but as Ferry (The Nice Dream Truck) and Wulfekotte (The Remember Balloons) show through the characters’ respective preparations, they have two different ideas about the outcome. Grandy, a golfer, is eager to share tee time with his granddaughter; Frannie, meanwhile, is packing a picnic basket with all the fixings for a tea party. The misunderstanding deepens after they set out. Grandy speaks of “birdies” and “swings” (a golf glossary ends the book), while Frannie seems to think the golf course—wonderfully imagined in digitally colored drawings—is an especially beautiful park, despite the many species of animal golfers around her. Clarity is finally imposed when an incoming golf ball wrecks Frannie’s carefully laid out tea spread (“Sandwiches were smashed. Cake was crushed”). But Grandy consoles her with a fancy tea at the clubhouse, followed by a game of golf that meets Frannie where she is, culminating in a sweet celebration of intergenerational bonding. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. Illustrator’s agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary. (June)

Publishers Weekly

"A sweet celebration of intergenerational bonding." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2021-04-14
A day for tea or a day to tee (off)?

Hippopotami Frannie and Grandy, her grandfather, are both preparing for an outing, though each has a different type in mind. Frannie heard tea, so she packs up a picnic lunch, blanket, and tea set. Grandy understood tee, so he collects clubs, balls, shoes, bug spray, and sunblock with the intention of teaching Frannie how to play golf. The mutual misconception continues until the warmly illustrated duo arrive at the golf course and Frannie rushes to a green to spread out her blanket and meal, which is demolished by a driven ball. Unperturbed, the two seamlessly change things up and simply go to the clubhouse for tea and continue their afternoon with a game of minigolf, which Frannie comes to love. Readers are left to their own devices to figure out the mix-up, as there is no obvious moment of recognition by either Frannie or Grandy of their miscommunication, which seems a lost opportunity to introduce at least the idea of homonyms. Moreover, readers don’t get to see Grandy switching gears, which could have added some humor. Still the pair’s loving companionship rings true, and young readers may enjoy figuring out the problem themselves (perhaps with some help). (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A pleasant if imperfect celebration of a grandfather-granddaughter relationship and an introduction to the game of golf. (glossary) (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews