I fell in love with this teapot the first time I saw it featured in the Acorn catalog (*acornonline.com*) that I receive a few times a year. Created by famed British designer **Paul Cardew**, the ceramic teapot is incredibly colorful and features illustrations of books, titles, and classic authors such as Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and more. Instead of a boring knob on the teapot's lid, Cardew created a "stack of books"that makes lifting the lid an enchanting experience. Performance The Novel Tea teapot is about six inches tall and holds approximately 18-ounces of liquid. Unlike some personal teapots that only have room enough for one cup of tea, I can get two full cups from one pot. Safety This teapot is both dishwasher and microwave safe. Personally, I prefer to hand wash to ensure its longevity. Ease of Cleaning Usually, I squirt a little dishwashing liquid and water into the teapot to clean it after I've finished my tea. After a thorough rinse, I put it on the dishrack to dry. You can put it in a dishwasher, but it's easy enough to clean by hand that I don't even bother. Durability The colorful graphics still look vibrant even after multiple washings. I do have a crack on the tip of the spout, but that's because I wasn't careful when I set it on the dishrack to dry. This is a delicate item, so you have to be careful with it even though it is well made. Design The teapot is well designed and doesn't drip or leak, and the handle is easy to grasp and pour. I think it would work as an elegant gift for a book lover or a tea drinker. The teapot is so colorful and interesting that I think it also looks lovely as a display piece.

LoveisJoy

Chicagoland, IL