AT OUR TABLE

This table has room for everyone.

Keenly aware that Thanksgiving is often associated with inaccurate portrayals of Indigenous peoples, Hulse and Goodnight (Chickasaw Nation) have created a loving, inclusive depiction of the holiday. Spare yet lyrical verse invites readers to take a seat at a table alongside a diverse group of characters who eat, ponder, and express gratitude for all they’ve been given. Hulse employs sensory-rich imagery to describe the autumnal season (“a fresh tablecloth, / crisp and gold like this day”), the various mouthwatering foods, and those who work tirelessly at planting and harvesting to make the Thanksgiving meal possible. The repeated phrase “At our table there is room” allows readers to linger on small details that make the holiday special (“swapping stories, / second helpings, and favorite jokes”). Hulse and Goodnight also emphasize respect and honor for Indigenous peoples. In one illustration, a group of people reverently stand before a statue of beloved Wampanoag chief Ousamequin, while Hulse speaks of the importance of making “room to learn from / the first farmers / and builders / and knowledge-gatherers.” Goodnight’s visuals turn solemn and stately here, though in general her images brim with warmth, suffused with an inner glow. Hope and thankfulness resonate throughout as loved ones eat, laugh, share stories, and create lasting memories.

Marvelously exemplifies the diversity of American holiday traditions and offers a more nuanced understanding of Thanksgiving.