Product Description

When Harry and Kate learn they are going to a tea party with their grandparents, they are very excited. A brief etiquette session with Dorothea Johnson gives them the skills they need to enjoy an afternoon tea with friends of all ages. They learn how to shake hands, introduce themselves, pick up a napkin, eat a scone and drink tea from a proper cup. The children think of several "magic words" that they can use to show they are polite and have good manners - "please," "thank you," "may I," and "you're welcome."

A guest tea blender, John Harney, makes an appearance at the tea party where he shares a bit of tea history. They learn that tea originated in China and has been enjoyed for thousands of years.

Grandparents, parents, and children will find this book a valuable resource for learning about good manners, good tea, and good tea time recipes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #677044 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780966347890
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Review
Children's Tea & Etiquette: Brewing Good Manners in Young Minds is more than a simple picturebook - it is a thoughtful etiquette manual to instruct readers in how to properly enjoy afternoon tea. Many of the social graces discussed extend into the practice of the general world. From basic polite phrases such as "please", "thank you", "may I", and "you're welcome", to what RSVP means, to table manners for a tea party (such as not picking up one's napkin until the host has), to the importance of writing a thank-you note, Children's Tea & Etiquette is highly recommended as an instructional tool for preparing young people to do well in formal situations. Beautiful, soft pastel color illustrations by Dawn Peterson, a handful of recipes, and notes on the history of tea parties round out this good manners primer. --Midwest Book Review

I was pleased to discover the book Children's Tea & Etiquette: Brewing Good Manners in Young Minds while looking for a tea set for our planned tea party for Z's third birthday, and its publisher, Benjamin Press, was kind enough to send us a copy.

Children's Tea & Etiquette takes the form of a story with the two main characters getting invited to attend a tea party with by their grandparents. The story leads the reader through all of the proper steps of etiquette for attending an event - what an R.S.V.P. is and how to provide one, how to introduce yourself, how to hold a napkin, how to ask for something you can't reach, what types of treats are generally offered at a tea party and how to eat them, how to excuse yourself, the well-known "magic words" (please/thank you/etc.) and sending a thank-you note.

The book also includes a very brief history of tea and several recipes for treats mentioned in the book so parents can arrange their own tea parties.

The text in the book is simple, positive, and encouraging; while it might feel saccharine in other contexts, this is the writing style I have found that most etiquette books take, and I think it's the most effective. We have other books that try to address children's manners (Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book, How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?) but I have found that many of them present such an outrageous "bad" behavior, that I wonder if that bad behavior is more memorably modeled than the good behavior that we hope to impart.

The other thing that I like about Children's Tea and Etiquette is that it takes you through an event from start to finish, and thus is able to cover multiple aspects of etiquette rather than just focusing on table manners.

We recommend this book for children ages four and up. --Z Recommends Blogspot

From the Publisher
Dorothea Johnson's is one of America's leading voices in calling for a return to etiquette and protocol. She is a regular guest on the ELLEN tv show and you can find her quoted in magazines and newspapers nationwide. Her love for teaching dining etiquette to children and grandchildren was inspired by her close relationship with her own granddaughter, actress Liv Tyler.

About the Author
Dorothea Johnson is Founder and Chair of The Protocol School of Washington® and President of Dorothea Johnson Productions, Inc. She is the author of "The Little Book of Etiquette," "Tea & Etiquette," co-author of "The Power of Handshaking" and Tea & Etiquette columnist for "TeaTime" magazine. She served as the Etiquette Consultant for the popular American Girl Library® book, "Oops, The Manners Guide for Girls." Ms Johnson, grandmother of actress Liv Tyler, is a regular guest on the tv show ELLEN.

John Harney is a Master Tea Blender living in Connecticut. He formed Harney & Sons in 1983 and began introducing America to the art of brewing fine loose teas. He was honored by "Bon Appetit" magazine as a Food Artisan in the October 2005 issue.

Ann Noyes was trained and certified by The Protocol School of Washington®. She presents etiquette and protocol programs at colleges, hotels, and country clubs. She and her husband, Ted, reside in Maine. They have three grandchildren - Harry, Kate, and Althea.

Dawn Peterson makes her home on the coast of Maine where she enjoys spending time with her two daughters, four grandchildren and one very eccentric cat. She has illustrated ten children's books, including "Miss Reenee's Mice Go to an Exhibition." Her mediums include watercolors and oils.

Bruce Richardson is the Author and Producer of ten tea books, including "The Great Tea Rooms of America", "The Great Tea Rooms of Britain", and the "Tea in the City" travel guides. Before entering the world of tea, he spent many years in education working with musically-gifted elementary students and children's choirs.

Customer Reviews

Children's Tea & Etiquette is highly recommended as an instructional tool
Children's Tea & Etiquette: Brewing Good Manners in Young Minds is more than a simple picturebook - it is a thoughtful etiquette manual to instruct readers in how to properly enjoy afternoon tea. Many of the social graces discussed extend into the practice of the general world. From basic polite phrases such as "please", "thank you", "may I", and "you're welcome", to what RSVP means, to table manners for a tea party (such as not picking up one's napkin until the host has), to the importance of writing a thank-you note, Children's Tea & Etiquette is highly recommended as an instructional tool for preparing young people to do well in formal situations. Beautiful, soft pastel color illustrations by Dawn Peterson, a handful of recipes, and notes on the history of tea parties round out this good manners primer.

What a great idea
I purchased this book for my six year old granddaughter but I made certain to read it before sending it on for her birthday.

It is quite a charming book for children (and grownups) who love tea parties. The children not only attend a tea party with their grandparents but they are taught all about how they are expected to act and how to eat properly during the tea party.

The storyline is quite good and the illustrations are beautiful. I am told my granddaughter liked it very much. I would definitely purchase it for any child but also note that tea parties we have at home do not have to be so formal.

Wrong Title
This books is for much older children. I would suggest 9 and older. I brought it for my seven year old. The book should not have in "young minds" in the title. 1/4 of the book is recipe. It gives the history of tea, but It does not keep a young child's interest. My child says it tells you simple etiquette that most children know already such as saying thank you and not talking with food in your mouths. I was very disappointed in this book.