Under the Table - by Allan Ahlberg (Hardcover)

About the Book

"What do you do when you're having an ordinary day, only to discover there's a big gray elephant named Nathaniel under the table? Why, you get him to help you wash the car. And the kangaroo named Abigail that appears under that same table can help bring in groceries. But when there are penguins in the fridge, the forks and knives are running around, and the salt and ketchup are acting up, there is only one thing to do: pack everyone in the camper and go on vacation"--

Book Synopsis

Nothing is what it seems--and anything can happen--when the hilarious team of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman sneak a peek under the table.

What do you do when you're having an ordinary day, only to discover there's a big gray elephant (named Nathaniel) under the table? Why, you get him to help you wash the car! And the kangaroo (named Abigail) that appears under that same table can help bring in groceries. But when there are penguins in the fridge, the forks and knives are running around, and the salt and ketchup are acting up, there is only one thing to do: pack everyone in the camper and go on vacation! With a wink and a nod, Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman reunite for another wry, comical, zany adventure starring the family introduced in The Runaway Dinner and The Pencil.

Review Quotes

Writer Allan Ahlberg and illustrator Bruce Ingman combine their talents to show a young family cheerfully adapting to a series of exciting propositions. . . . Improvisational good humor and playful writing make "Under the Table" as fun for adults to read aloud as it will be for children ages 3-7 to hear.
--The Wall Street Journal

The narrator's tone is engaging, and so is the look of spontaneity and happiness in the jaunty illustrations, created with colored pencil, ink, acrylic, and watercolor. A respected English children's book writer ever since the publication of his first book, Each Peach Pear Plum (1979), Ahlberg offers a rambunctious new picture book that's well attuned to a young child's sense of fun and great for reading aloud.
--Booklist (starred review)

In this tale of humorously escalating adventure and silliness, Elsie ­discovers a series of animals under the family dining table, an extravagant catalogue that includes an elephant, kangaroo, and penguin. What to do with such a zoo? . . . In this completely joyful tale, Ahlberg, a veteran of almost fifty years of picture book writing, pulls yet another irresistible rabbit out of his storyteller's hat.
--The Horn Book

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

Full of silly wordplay and cheeky, personified animals and objects, this whimsical book is a bit of a throwback in the tradition of Maurice Sendak or Ruth Krauss. Its use of rhythmic text and direct address. . . shine when read out loud. Ingman's wacky pencil and paint illustrations are a delight.
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

To devoted children's book lovers, Allan Ahlberg needs no introduction. . . . Under the Table is Ahlberg's latest offering for young readers, a wonderfully absurd tale of a family that keeps finding the most unusual animals under their dining table. . . . Acclaimed illustrator Bruce Ingman, who's been Ahlberg's creative partner on several previous books, provides colorful, playful art that suits the joyful spirit of the text.
--Literary Hub

About the Author

Allan Ahlberg (1938-2025) is the acclaimed author of many books for children, including Under the Table, Previously, and The Pencil, all illustrated by Bruce Ingman. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called The Pencil "clever and suspenseful . . . a surefire delight." His best-known series, The Jolly Postman and its sequels, has sold millions of copies worldwide.

Bruce Ingman has illustrated many picture books, including Boing! by Sean Taylor. He also wrote and illustrated Bad News, I'm in Charge! In addition to The Runaway Dinner, The Pencil, and Previously, he collaborated with Allan Alhberg on Everybody Was a Baby Once and Other Poems. Bruce Ingman lives in England.