The Teashop Girls

Everything tea drinkers might want to know about that beverage can be found in this clever first novel. Thirteen-year-old Annie is determined to keep her grandmother's old-fashioned teashop from going out of business. As she tries to drum up new customers, she faces other problems as well: her two best friends' waning interest in the project, her ill-fated crush on her grandmother's cute new employee and unwanted attention from a less desirable boy. Recipes, facts and quotes about tea are sandwiched between the chapters, and cozy illustrations of teapots and cakes alongside photographs of vintage advertisements add to the fun. However, the onslaught of extras can interrupt the flow of the story. Like the mismatched interior of the Steeping Leaf cafe, the eclectic, slightly cluttered nature of this book won't be everyone's cup of you-know-what, but those who share the heroine's passion for funk (and, of course, tea) will drink it up. Ages 8–14. (Dec.)