Beneath
by Cori Doerrfeld (Author)
In this stunning story from New York Times bestselling creator Cori Doerrfeld, a child and their grandfather take a walk in the woods and discover more about themselves.
Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn't want to talk about it. After some persuading, though, they agree to go for a hike with Grandpa. Throughout their forest walk, they see many different things: big, strong trees with networks of roots growing underneath, still water with schools of fish swimming below, and an expectant bird with eggs nestled under her. It's when the pair pass fellow hikers that Finn realizes that people, just like the elements of nature, are more than they appear. Grandpa explains that sometimes beneath a person who seems like they won't understand what you're feeling, is someone feeling the exact same way. This sweet and tender picture book celebrates our similarities, differences, and that there's always more under the surface of what we can see.
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Publishers Weekly
In a bad mood, young Finn sits on a bed under a multicolored quilt, uninterested in discussing the situation: "No. You won't understand," they say. But Finn grumpily complies when Grandpa suggests a walk, and meanders along still underneath the quilt. "Don't worry," says Grandpa. "I'll remember to think of what's beneath." Their walk through a coastal forest landscape shows all that "beneath" can mean across places and species. Grandpa meditates on the root systems under trees, and the wealth of sea life below a fishing boat offshore. Heavy, charcoal-like outlines give an organic feel to the digital artwork as the quilt starts to come down around Finn's shoulders. "And people?" Finn asks. "Of course!" Grandpa replies, "Everyone is more than what you see. Beneath appearances are experiences. Beneath actions are explanations. Beneath what's different is what's the same." Under Grandpa and Finn's pale-skinned exteriors, Doerrfeld (Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!) shows in a sobering moment, are broken hearts missing the same person, which context clues suggest is the maker of the quilt Finn's been huddled under. It's a subtle message buoyed by thoughtful cross- sectional reveals, which include the skeletons within animals, and a fetus growing inside a gestating parent. Ages 4-8. Agent: Rachel Orr, Prospect Agency. (Jan.)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV029000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | General
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
Grandparent and child
Interpersonal relations
Grandfathers
Mood (Psychology)
Mood
