Elizabeth Long
The Prissy Sissy Tea Party series of children’s books is centered on tea parties. The setting is a small town in the South. Sissy’s parents own a private school, L’Ecole Par Excellence, and a bed-and-breakfast inn known as Magnolia Manor. The main character is Sissy, an eight-year-old who is the product of a Southern mother who believes strongly in maintaining the social graces, customs, and traditions of the past and a retired father who was a military officer but is now headmaster of their private school. Sissy blends her mother’s influence with her own travel experiences and exposure to various cultures made possible because of her father’s military assignments. She then tells her story in her own Prissy Sissy way. Her four best friends are Lauren, Zack, Alex, and Zeus, her Doberman Pinscher. There are several exchange students attending the school who will appear as special guests when a tea party focuses on their homeland. These books teach readers manners, tea etiquette, and social graces. I am aware that today’s world is one giant global society. Writing about other countries and studying their history and culture lend a cosmopolitan flavor to these books. Different tea customs are explored and put into practice at the tea table. Artistic and musical personalities are also an integral part of this series. Each book has a particular theme incorporating the aforementioned elements. Areas of interest: —Vocabulary building —Manners —Tea etiquette —History —Cultural arts, music and art —Other cultures and customs —Humanities These books will appeal to children aged four to ten.
