Ask HN: Easy to learn front end development

I'm a sysadmin who has moved into DevOps over the years. As such I've written tons of Bash, Python, and PowerShell scripts. I've got a couple of product ideas, and I can whip up a serviceable backend with the skills I have. Where I get stuck is on the front end.

Last year I started looking into React as it seems popular. However the learning curve is too steep and for my needs is like killing a rabbit with a howitzer.

I'm looking for something, where I can create a few editable tables and a few forms. Nothing too fancy, as I'm just focused on creating a demo of my ideas to show to potential cofounders.

Can anyone suggest a front end framework that is straight forward to pick up? It would also be nice if there is a book on it in O'Reilly books online as I have a subscription.