A review by sducharme
The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor

5.0

A girl calls a family meeting to discuss her family's financial situation. She's sure they could be doing better. Sitting at their handmade wooden table, she asks her parents how much money they have. They begin adding up all of their riches - their sunsets, the wildlife they've seen, the time they have to watch a cactus flower bloom - and assign each a monetary value in the thousands of dollars. Gradually the girl begins to understand that the world her parents have created for the family is more beautiful and rewarding than anything money could buy. The message is powerful and poetically delivered, but the tone is not preachy. This is a celebration of nature, particularly of the American southwest, and the line drawings with washes of yellows and orange highlight the stark beauty of the region.