diff --git a/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/AbstractNodeItem.java b/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/AbstractNodeItem.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6aa90e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/net/kemitix/node/AbstractNodeItem.java
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+package net.kemitix.node;
+
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+/**
+ * An abstract node item, providing default implementations for most read-only
+ * operations.
+ *
+ * @param <T> the type of data stored in each node
+ *
+ * @author pcampbell
+ */
+abstract class AbstractNodeItem<T> implements Node<T> {
+
+    private T data;
+
+    private String name;
+
+    private Node<T> parent;
+
+    private final Set<Node<T>> children;
+
+    protected AbstractNodeItem(
+            final T data, final String name, final Node<T> parent,
+            final Set<Node<T>> children) {
+        this.data = data;
+        this.name = name;
+        this.parent = parent;
+        this.children = children;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String getName() {
+        return name;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Optional<T> getData() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(data);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isEmpty() {
+        return data == null;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Node<T>> getParent() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(parent);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Set<Node<T>> getChildren() {
+        return new HashSet<>(children);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Fetches the node for the child if present.
+     *
+     * @param child the child's data to search for
+     *
+     * @return an {@link Optional} containing the child node if found
+     */
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Node<T>> findChild(final T child) {
+        if (child == null) {
+            throw new NullPointerException("child");
+        }
+        return children.stream().filter(node -> {
+            final Optional<T> d = node.getData();
+            return d.isPresent() && d.get().equals(child);
+        }).findAny();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Node<T> getChild(final T child) {
+        return findChild(child).orElseThrow(
+                () -> new NodeException("Child not found"));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks if the node is an ancestor.
+     *
+     * @param node the potential ancestor
+     *
+     * @return true if the node is an ancestor
+     */
+    @Override
+    public boolean isDescendantOf(final Node<T> node) {
+        return parent != null && (node.equals(parent) || parent.isDescendantOf(
+                node));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Walks the node tree using the path to select each child.
+     *
+     * @param path the path to the desired child
+     *
+     * @return the child or null
+     */
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Node<T>> findInPath(final List<T> path) {
+        if (path == null) {
+            throw new NullPointerException("path");
+        }
+        if (path.size() > 0) {
+            Optional<Node<T>> found = findChild(path.get(0));
+            if (found.isPresent()) {
+                if (path.size() > 1) {
+                    return found.get().findInPath(path.subList(1, path.size()));
+                }
+                return found;
+            }
+        }
+        return Optional.empty();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Node<T>> findChildByName(final String named) {
+        if (named == null) {
+            throw new NullPointerException("name");
+        }
+        return children.stream()
+                       .filter(n -> n.getName().equals(named))
+                       .findAny();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Node<T> getChildByName(final String named) {
+        return findChildByName(named).orElseThrow(
+                () -> new NodeException("Named child not found"));
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String drawTree(final int depth) {
+        final StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+        final String unnamed = "(unnamed)";
+        if (isNamed()) {
+            sb.append(String.format("[%1$" + (depth + name.length()) + "s]\n",
+                    name));
+        } else if (!children.isEmpty()) {
+            sb.append(
+                    String.format("[%1$" + (depth + unnamed.length()) + "s]\n",
+                            unnamed));
+        }
+        getChildren().forEach(c -> sb.append(c.drawTree(depth + 1)));
+        return sb.toString();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isNamed() {
+        return name != null && name.length() > 0;
+    }
+}