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When Alexander Graced the Table
By Alexander Smalls and Denene Millner
Illustrated by Frank Morrison
Table of Contents
About The Book
From James Beard Award–winning chef Alexander Smalls, New York Times bestselling author Denene Millner, and award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison comes a tender celebration of family, traditions, and the little moments shared at the dinner table that make all the difference.
There is nothing young Alexander looks forward to more than Sunday Dinner, the special time after church when the whole family gathers dressed in their Sunday best and ready to share in the best meal of the week.
For the first time, it’s up to Alexander to contribute a dish for the table, something warm and satisfying, with just the right amount of sweetness—something that the whole family will love and, most of all, will make his dad proud. It’s time for Alexander to spread that Sunday joy!
There is nothing young Alexander looks forward to more than Sunday Dinner, the special time after church when the whole family gathers dressed in their Sunday best and ready to share in the best meal of the week.
For the first time, it’s up to Alexander to contribute a dish for the table, something warm and satisfying, with just the right amount of sweetness—something that the whole family will love and, most of all, will make his dad proud. It’s time for Alexander to spread that Sunday joy!
About The Authors
Alexander Smalls is a James Beard Award–winning chef, cookbook author, and raconteur. He is a regular celebrity chef on the Today show, Top Chef, and other Food Network shows, and is the founder of the first contemporary modern African Dining Hall in Dubai. Smalls is also a world-renowned opera singer and the winner of both a Grammy Award and a Tony Award for the cast recording of Porgy and Bess. When Alexander Graced the Table, based on Alexander’s childhood, is his first picture book. Follow him at AlexanderSmalls.com.
Photo courtesy of the author
Denene Millner is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist, and director of the Denene Millner Books imprint. She has written more than thirty books for adults, teens, and children, among them her novel One Blood, a multi-generational epic about motherhood and adoption, and Early Sunday Morning, a children’s picture book. She is the host of Speakeasy with Denene, a podcast produced by Georgia Public Broadcasting. A MacDowell Fellow, Denene lives in Atlanta with her two daughters and their adorable Goldendoodle, Teddy. Visit her at DeneneMillner.com.
About The Illustrator
Photograph © Frank Morrison
Frank Morrison is the award-winning illustrator of many books for young readers, including Jazzy Miz Mozetta, winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent; Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; Muhammad Ali; and How Sweet the Sound. Before becoming a children’s book illustrator and fine artist, Morrison toured the globe as a break-dancer. He lives in Georgia with his family. Visit him at MorrisonGraphics.com.
Why We Love It
“Alexander Smalls and Denene Millner’s writing is evocative and transportive, taking you back to not only Alexander’s memories but to a time when you had a memorable childhood meal of your own. Paired with Frank Morrison’s gorgeous, warm art, When Alexander Graced the Table is an unforgettable story about having pride in one’s own cooking and the love that’s shared when you make a meal for the ones you hold dear.”
—Celia L. Executive Editor, on When Alexander Graced the Table
Product Details
- Publisher: Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (January 7, 2025)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534488731
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
★ "For an excellent example of #BlackBoyJoy, look to this sweet celebration of food and familial love from renowned chef Smalls and his cocreators. Warmth and community are exuded in Morrison's oil paintings of a young Smalls and his extended family filling the kitchen on Saturday night as they prepare for their weekly feast."
– Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
★"Smalls and Millner’s pitch-perfect dialogue imbues the various characters with life. Relying on his signature oil paintings, Morrison adds energy and verve....The joy of cooking—and family—brought to brilliant life."
– Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): When Alexander Graced the Table Fixed Layout eBook 9781534488731
- Author Photo (jpg): Denene Millner Photo courtesy of the author(0.1 MB)
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