This Table

PreS-Gr 2–“This table began as a seed and grew into a great strong tree.” With those words, this book ushers readers into the beginning of a mighty saga. It’s not just a linear life cycle of how this table comes into being, although it does that process incredibly well, giving it thought and heft in each step of creation. No, this book is an explosion of possibilities. It tracks not the life, but the many lives a table can inhibit through the years. One multigenerational and multiethnic family shows their rich existence, working and playing hard at this centerpiece of their home. The illustrations, strong and simple, depict the deep joy around an inclusive family table. Every page bursts with color and delicately lined details. Here, children’s drawings surround a window with a bird’s nest outside. There, dropped papers and toy towns grace the corner. It culminates in an ending scene where framed photos of moments from the previous pages remind the inhabitants—and readers—of the beautiful moments created not just by the table, but by those we love.