I hadn't realized this is a prequel to The Tea Dragon Society, until quite late in the book. It explains a lot, though. Reading this made me nostalgic for a life that's never been mine. I yearn for a life with a loving, supportive community, in a queer-normative society, where the entire village is willing to learn sign language for the sake of a single child. K. O'Neill has created such a beautiful world.
These books are beautiful. I love the grumpy little tea dragons, and the gestural drawings of chickens in the backgrounds. I want the art from this book to decorate my walls. The story is incredibly immersive, in its comforting nature, and the illustrations intensify that quality exponentially.