Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Available July 2026 for paper, hardcover avialalbe read via an online reader
Once upon a time there was a little girl named Luli. She did not know a lot of English, and neither did the other children who are in the free care center they are at when their parents go to an English as a Second Language class. This made her sad as she is a friendly girl and likes to play with friends. The next time they were together, she brought a few items to share not only a little of her culture, but each of the other children’s culture as well. Luli shows how they are the same with the simple drink of tea.
This story is cute and a little silly. Not the funny or laughing kind of silly, but the sweet kind of silly, with things like the repetition of each child taking a tea cup and passing it down to the next in line, or the glee Luli has when she shares her new favorite English word, Cookies. It is informative when the different countries the children are from are talked about in the end. We learn about tea and the many ways it can be drunk. It is overall, just a cozy read (and to be a bit cliche, like a cozy cup of tea).
And the illustrations (by a delightful illustraor) are a part of why things are sweet and cozy. They are lightly colored, but pop with the color and even some details. It is not overwhelming, but something that is calming and yet bright to look at. The children look about kindergarten or first grease level, but the book itself can be adapted to multiple ages. It would make a cute large-lap sized board book as well as a regular picture book size.
