Antwan Eady

Milestones in the life of a loving Black family.

A young boy explains that on special occasions, his family gathers outdoors around a big wooden table beneath the shade of a moss-draped tree. They honor Grandpa and Grandma “for the family they’ve built,” watch fireworks light up the sky, and come together for the wedding of the protagonist’s uncles, who “can finally say: I do.” Punctuated with the phrase “This is the table,” the text is elegant and reverent, though laced with show more appropriately childlike observations from the young narrator. “This is the table of love / Slobbery love, if you ask me,” the boy notes as Grandpa asks Grandma for a kiss. And after the protagonist’s younger sister is born, “This is the table of hope. / (And I hope someone gets a diaper change ASAP.)” Eady’s words often emphasize the connections between humans and the natural world around them, while Ladd’s deeply saturated mixed-media illustrations portray a lush, verdant Lowcountry summer and wring joy from simple yet meaningful moments. Somehow everyone ends up wearing icing from the wedding cake, and when a Lowcountry boil is on the menu, an overhead image depicts eager hands reaching across a newspaper-covered table for corn, crabs, and potatoes. Various skin tones and hairstyles show the diversity that can exist within a single Black family.

Sumptuous and immersive—perfect for encouraging kids to celebrate their own family connections. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-8)

-Kirkus Review show less

PreS-Gr 3—There is a high contrast in most children's lives between the jobs they see others performing and the
aspirations they have for themselves. Eady infuses an entire person with this wistfulness: Nigel, whose nights are
full of mighty dreams and whose days are more prosaic. Zhang's exceptional images and reassurances from
parents cast away anxiety and ostracism.

Nigel dreams of being an astronaut, a dancer, a superhero, but he only tells his dreams to the moon - he's scared to say them out loud in the daytime to his classmates and teacher during career week. He's also worried that his classmates will make fun of his parents' jobs. But when his mom and dad show up at school, the kids enjoy hearing about being a postal carrier and a truck driver, and that gives Nigel the courage to share his dreams out loud too.

Zhang's ink, gouache, and watercolor show more illustrations are loose and expressive. show less

One of the best picture books I've read this year so far. I've been excited about this one since I first heard about it, and it more than lived up to my expectations. Excellent all around.