Around the Table That Grandad Built

by Melanie Heuiser Hill (Author) Jaime Kim (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

A beautifully illustrated celebration of bounty and gratitude, family and friendship, perfect for the holidays and every day. This is the table that Grandad built.

These are the sunflowers picked by my cousins, set on the table that Grandad built. In a unique take on the cumulative classic "This Is the House That Jack Built," a family gathers with friends and neighbors to share a meal around a table that brims with associations: napkins sewn by Mom, glasses from Mom and Dad's wedding, silverware gifted to Dad by his grandma long ago. Not to mention the squash from the garden, the bread baked by Gran, and the pies made by the young narrator (with a little help).

Serving up a diverse array of dishes and faces, this warm and welcoming story is poised to become a savored part of Thanksgiving traditions to come.

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Hardcover
$17.99

Kirkus

A warm and welcoming table.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--In this book set in cumulative rhythm similar to the popular classic "This Is the House that Jack Built," each item added to the spread is a worthy contribution to the whole. The hand-crafted table is followed by sunflowers picked by a cousin, napkins sewn by Mom, and glasses from Mom and Dad's wedding. Ultimately, the table overflows with an appealing array of edibles: the squash that took over the garden, the potatoes and peppers that were roasted, the bread baked by Gran, and Dad's huckleberry jam. There are also toasty tamales and spicy samosas included. The radiantly cheerful illustrations portray adults and children of color alongside white characters, but it is never clear who Grandad and the parents are within the group. Some of the characters are not even seated at the final meal enjoyed at the end. Still, the joyous colored pencil images of each individual family member sequentially adding to the meal should resonate with young children. The abiding joy of families feasting together, all adding to the worthwhile whole, is largely what makes this book so appealing. VERDICT Despite a few subtle oversights, a welcome addition to a Thanksgiving unit and a useful addition to the topic of sequencing for young children.--Etta Anton, Yeshiva of Central Queens, NY

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

ALA/Booklist

This cumulative tale does a great job of showing how a feast--Thanksgiving or otherwise--is about building family.

Review quotes

  
Melanie Heuiser Hill
Melanie Heuiser Hill is the author of the middle-grade novel Giant Pumpkin Suite. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and children.

Jaime (Jimyung) Kim has illustrated many books for young readers, including Isle of You by David Rochelle, La La La: A Story of Hope by Kate DiCamillo, and And Then Comes Summer by Tom Brenner. Jaime Kim lives in North Carolina.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780763697846
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Publication date
September 10, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
JUV050000 - Juvenile Fiction | Cooking & Food
JUV017080 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Other, Non-Religious
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Grandparent and child
Grandfathers
Nursery rhymes
Dinners and dining

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