Newbery Honor Book

The Underneath

by Kathi Appelt

 

Appelt, K. (2008). THE UNDERNEATH. Audioworks, Simon and Schuster Inc. New York, NY: read by Gabra Zackman. compact disc. ISBN 9780743572088.

A calico cat about to give birth is dumped out in the middle of nowhere.  She soon finds a home for herself and her newborn kittens, Puck and Sabine, with a kind old hound dog named Ranger.  Although they have found a home together, their lives are marked with danger.  For the home the calico cat has found is underneath the house of Ranger's owner, a mean, nasty hunter named Gar Face.  The kittens are told never to leave the underneath as it isn't safe.  The kittens' story is intertwined with an ancient story of magical beings that can take human form, to describe how choice can create either a world of beauty or a world of misery.

This descriptively written fantasy provides language that allows the reader to visualize every character and scene. The characters are well written with each expressing unique personalities that evoke a response from the reader almost immediately. The adorable, mischievous kittens are fun and entertaining while Gar Face and Grandmother were almost terrifying at times.  The intertwined plots were at times confusing, but provided suspense for the reader.  The two plots were melded together so well at the end of the story that it created a wonderful "oh!" moment. The setting, although an actual place, is written as to reflect a beautiful, but scary location.  Language like "Do not step into that shivery place. Do not let it gobble you up." aids the reader in creating a visual image that is beautiful yet haunting.  The varying points of view allow the reader to inspect the problem of the story from many perspectives and decide for themselves why people are bad or good. 

Although I enjoyed this story I would caution readers/listeners who are true animal lovers.  Gar Face's treatment of animals is difficult to read and/or listen to.  The description of the Piney Woods in East Texas near the Sabine River created a mental image so rich in my mind that I might never travel through that area! If you like to be carried away and don't mind some violence then this is the book for you!

Newbery Honor Book
National Book Award Finalist
ALA Notable Book
Kirkus Review - "A magical tale of betrayal, revenge, love and the importance of keeping promises."
Horn Book Magazine- "[A] fine book . . . most of all distinguished by the originality of the story and the fresh beauty of its author's voice--a natural for reading aloud."

*Research the location around the Sabine River in the Piney Woods of East Texas. 

*Listen to the story on audio and draw a picture of the characters and the setting.

*Read the next novel by Kathi Appelt: 

Appelt,K. (2010). KEEPER. Atheneum Books: New York, NY. ISBN 978-1416950615