Beneath

Title:

Beneath

Author:

Summary:

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. -- Amazon.

Audience:

Ages 4-8. Little, Brown and Company.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : chiefly color illustrations ; 29 cm

Genre:

Nature fiction.

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Grandfathers -- Juvenile fiction.

Grandparent and child -- Juvenile fiction.

Interpersonal relations -- Juvenile fiction.

Mood (Psychology) -- Juvenile fiction.

Forests and forestry -- Juvenile fiction.

Publisher:

Little, Brown and Company,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9780316312264

Publication Information:

New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2023.

Call Number:

P DOERRFELD

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003652149	New Picture Books	DOERRFELD	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

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.

Author Notes

Cori Doerrfeld is the New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of The Rabbit Listened and has also created art for such books as That's Life! and Help Mom Work from Home ! Originally from Illinois, Cori moved to Minnesota for college and quickly fell in love with the state's natural beauty. This book is her homage to the North Shore along Lake Superior as well as the magnificence and mystery one may find when surrounded by nature. It is also a nod to her dad and Grandpa Lenny and an examination of the many layers that make up the human experience. Today, Cori can still be found exploring Minnesota--now with her husband, two children, and rescue dog, Jinx.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

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.)