The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt
There are some stories so old that only the trees have witnessed them from beginning to end. The Underneath, a story of of love and betrayal, hope and despair, is that kind of story. It is the story of three abused animals – an old hound dog, a mother cat, and her two kittens – who reject hate, cling to hope, and against their natures become a family. It is the story of a man who has lived so long with hate that his soul has shriveled to nothing. It is the story of Grandmother Moccasin, a lamia, or shapechanger, who when betrayed by her human lover nurses the grudge for centuries. These three stories intersect along the banks of the Little Sorrowful, deep in the bayous of Louisiana, a place steeped in mystery and magic – where anything can happen.
The Underneath is a magical book, brimming with poetry. It is a story that begs to be read aloud, and one that I will not soon forget. A Newberry Honor Book and a National Book Award finalist, it is well deserving of both these honors.
