This Table by Alex Killian, illustrated by Brooke Smart

This Table by Alex Killian, illustrated by Brooke Smart. Greystone Kids, 2024. 9781771645829






Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5



Format : Hardcover picture book



What did you like about the book?  This beautiful picture book takes the reader from a tree’s seed to a finished wooden table, lovingly constructed to become the center of a family’s life. Watercolor artwork shows the tree in nature, woodworking tools in a workshop during construction, and then the finished table “in the middle of a room / in the middle of a house, / and life grew up around it.” Poetic text describes the phases in the life of the table and the family, where many life events happen around the table. Mom, kids, grandparents and friends are racially diverse and grow older as the story goes on.



I loved the many small, tender moments around the table that are depicted by the artwork: birthday celebrations, a quiet moment of breastfeeding, art projects, a puzzle, homework, and time with pets. Youngsters who love all things related to construction can point out tools. The book ends with a two-page spread showing many families, big and small, each around a table, living their lives together. There’s even a small dog eating a meal at his own small table. Another winning picture book from Greystone!



Anything you didn’t like about it? No



To whom would you recommend this book?  For fans of Jonathan Bean’s Building Our House or Chris Monroe’s Monkey with a Tool Belt series.



Who should buy this book?  All collections that serve young children.



Where would you shelve it?  Picture books



Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Near the top



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library, Arlington, MA



Date of review:  April 12, 2024