UNDER THE TABLE

What’s that hiding under the table?

Elsie is an active, blond-haired young girl who lives with her parents, brother, dog, and cat in a world much like this one, with some key differences. Seemingly inanimate objects—forks, knives, ketchup, a teapot—can move by themselves, and, more importantly, Elsie keeps finding animals (an elephant, a mother kangaroo with a joey) under the table…as well as a pair of penguins in the fridge and on the counter. Sketchy illustrations blend well with the off-the cuff feeling of the text as, playing against type, her family embraces her very real discoveries. The elephant helps them wash the car, the kangaroo helps take in the groceries, and the penguins’ presence leads to a camper trip to the beach for people and animals alike (the table comes, too), where they frolic, swim, eat, and meet an army of ants, all with names starting with the letter A. It’s off to bed, and the story seems to be over, but what’s that hippopotamus doing under the table? Young listeners will be tickled by the pleasingly nonsensical plot; they’ll giggle through this quirky and imaginative tale of a lively girl and her warm, supportive family before drifting off to sleep themselves. Main characters are light-skinned.

A whimsical, rib-tickling good-night book for the very young.