Space for Everyone

This lyrical and heartwarming picture book follows a Nigerian girl who worries about her family's upcoming move. But she soon realizes that no matter where they go, there will always be room at their kitchen table for her community to gather around.

When Zainab runs down the stairs in the morning, she knows what she'll find: Papa cooking at the stove, Mama pouring tea, and then everyone gathering around the family table. Neighbors stop by, and there's plenty of room for them, too. There are so many beloved rituals that happen at the table: homework and crafts, aunties coming to plait hair, and festive gatherings with neighbors and relatives. But soon boxes start piling up around the house, and Zainab worries about the move—will the rituals feel the same in her new home?

In the new house, the family table still feels cozy to sit around. And soon, old neighbors and new friends stop by, and everyone is welcome at the table. Meg Medina's Evelyn Del Ray is Moving Away meets Peter H. Reynolds's Our Table in this heartwarming story about how difficult it is to move, but how connecting with community makes everything better.

Seina Wedlick is the author of Naming Ceremony, her debut picture book. When she is not spending time with her husband and children, she can be found working as a technical program manager, designing bags, and running her handbag line Brysie Lane.

Camilla Sucre is a first generation Trinidadian American illustrator. Born in New York and raised in Baltimore, Camilla graduated with her BFA in illustration from MICA. Space for Everyone is her US debut picture book.