At Our Table

K-Gr 3–Thanksgiving gets an equitable and diverse treatment in Hulse’s debut picture book. The vibrant cover shows a gathering of various ethnicities and races arranged in a tribute to Norman Rockwell’s famous “Freedom from Want” painting. This precedes a thoughtful meditation on the holiday’s meaning for different families and discusses what they are thankful for. Illustrations depict different age groups, abilities, mixed generations, and broad representational ethnicities. Whether in a house or apartment, the city or country, the focus is on coming together with loved ones. However, one illustration is a little less vibrant: A group of First Americans visits a statue of Wampanoag tribal chief Ousamequin, acknowledging that the concept of Thanksgiving is not universally celebrated, especially by Indigenous peoples. Yet the overall theme is one advocating unity and how the celebration of the holiday can be improved to include everyone. Goodnight (Chickasaw) uses a mix of paper, graphite, and digital tools to execute a book with broad representation and fun Easter eggs for children to find during repeat reads. The insightful representation creates a much-needed update on the topic, with broad readership appeal making it an essential purchase for all libraries. Author’s and artist’s notes conclude the book.