Tea Party Rules

Tea Party Rules written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by K.G. Campbell (2013)

Cub follows his nose to a tea party in progress. Very politely, he asks the other bear if he could have a cookie. But the other bear doesn’t answer, and Cub realizes that the other bear can’t talk… or eat cookies! So Cub takes his place at the table. Just as he’s about to taste his first bite, a little girl comes along. She looks at Cub and decides that he needs a bath before they can eat… tea party rule number one ‘you must be clean’. Cub isn’t a big fan of baths, but he does like cookies so he goes along with the girl. But that’s not the end of it, there are lots of rules to follow. He must have his hair done, he must be dressed up, and he must eat daintily. Finally Cub has had enough of tea party rules and he helps himself WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE RULES! Luckily for Cub, the little girl decides that they should play BEAR instead. He liked that game better, after all, he already knew the rules.

Ame Dyckman tells an endearing story of friendship and rules. Imaginative play and appreciating differences are two underlying themes in this sweet Girl-meets-Bear story.

K.G. Campbell gives the reader the illusion of really being on the scene. He lets you feel the nip in the air and the bubbles on your nose, smell the fall leaves and the just baked cookies, and understand the sense of anticipation, dread, and playfulness.

I love this story for so many reasons! Maybe most of all, because I love the conflict Cub feels about not wanting to follow the rules but really wanting the cookies. And then there’s the duality of the little girl. On one hand, she loves fancy tea parties with friends and is determined to make sure everyone follows the rules exactly. And on the other hand, she embraces the natural tendency of Cub and is willing to play a game that he likes as well.