With the spring semester coming to a close, many students (including myself) are unbelievably stressed. Completing the final projects and papers for all your classes while dealing with the stresses of daily life can feel overwhelming. Even though college students should be cognizant of their time to get everything done, they still need breaks to decompress and relax. Whenever I am overcome with nerves or under pressure, I pick up a sweet graphic novel to ease my mind. One I would highly recommend is titled The Tea Dragon Society, which was written and illustrated by Kay O’Neill.
The Tea Dragon Society is the first book in a fantasy trilogy about a blacksmith apprentice named Greta who learns about the existence of tea dragons, a species that grows tea leaves on their bodies that can then be harvested to make tea. Unfortunately, the craft related to the care of tea dragons and their leaves is dying out. Once Greta meets the owners of a tea shop and some of the last to practice this art, Hesekiel, Erika, and their ward, Minette, she begins to understand the exercise and herself more. From there the story continues in the following books: The Tea Dragon Festival and The Tea Dragon Tapestry.
The Tea Dragon series is a lovely and quick read comprised of beautiful artwork, fleshed out main characters, positive LBGT+ representation, and an easy to grasp magic system. While there is an overall plot, the main purpose of the novel is to sit and just experience the world by looking at the pages and absorbing the calm atmosphere of the work. Also, the tea dragons are absolutely adorable. All of them are named after specific types of teas and drawn in a way to emulate the name and flavor. By the end of each book, you will feel content and ready to get back to work. The Tea Dragon trilogy is fantastic. You will not regret picking it up.