At Our Table by Patrick Hulse, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 4-8). At our table, there is room for everything and everyone: old traditions, new friends, a crowd of people, but also quiet. There’s room for giving thanks for food and for the first (Native) farmers and for the Earth that supports us. There’s room for mashed potato mountains, trying new foods, second helpings, and lots of room for dessert. And at the end of the day, there’s a place to rest and feel loved and grateful. Includes a note from debut author Patrick Hulse and Chickasaw Nation illustrator Madelyn Goodnight sharing their own memories of Thanksgiving and envisioning some new interpretations for the holiday.
This book perfectly captures what I consider to be the spirit of Thanksgiving, focusing on family, food, and gratitude. As we move away from the traditional, racist history of the holiday, I hope, along with the author and illustrator, that we can reimagine it in the ways they’ve set forth in this book.
One Foggy Christmas Eve by Kerilynn Wilson (Greenwillow Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). The persistent protagonist is determined to get to Nana and Papa’s for Christmas Eve, despite thick fog that surrounds everything. When her parents say they can’t go, she ties a flashlight to her dog’s head and tries anyway. But the thick fog is scary, and they both end up back at home. Her next attempt is to string Christmas lights over everyone, an idea that her parents decide is worth a try. They set out together, but soon a wind carries off her homemade present, and she’s left alone in the spooky darkness. Then what to her wondering eyes should appear but a herd of glowing reindeer. They guide her back to her parents, and everyone arrives safely. Nana and Papa don’t mind that there’s no present; the girl’s story becomes a gift to everyone as they gather cozily by the Christmas tree.
An enchanting and occasionally eerie Christmas tale with luminous pictures that contrast the dark fog and the lights that pierce through it. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s imaginary, but everyone will agree with the final sentence that “stories light the way.”