The Underneath

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
Illustrated by David Small
Publication Date: 2008
Awards: 2009 Newbery Honor Book, 2008 National Book Award Finalist
Interest Level: 5th-7th grade, Reading Level: 5.4

If your in the mood for an adventurous animal fantasy, The Underneath would be a great novel to check out! An calico cat traverses through the forest alone. She has been abandoned by those she loved dearly and is desperate to find a place to care for her kittens. In the distance she he a song, a song of sorrow and gloom. She follows the sound of the song and finds refuge with the hound dog, Ranger. It is here she discovers a loyal companion who cares her kittens as if they were his own. Together they make a home in the Underneath, a safe haven, below the porch of Ranger's villainous owner, Gar Face. Under the porch, the kittens and their mother will stay safe from the wrath of Gar Face, who kills for pure enjoyment. Under the porch, they will stay safe from the wild birds and snakes, that would make them their meal. It is under the porch where the two little kittens, Puck and Sabine, grow more curious about the world around them.

Curiosity gets the best of little kitten Puck, as he decides to test the fates, and ventures to the outside while his small family sleeps. He feels the warm sun rays under his skin and questions why ever this would be a terrible place to be. His question is soon answer when he is capture by the man Gar Face. His mother quickly comes to his rescue, but she is soon captures too! Ranger will not stand to lose his family and tries to go after the Gar Face, but his chain holds him back. There is nothing he can do! The old hound dog barks and strains at the rusty, old chain, until his voice is raw, and his neck is sore and bleeding. He can only take comfort in the one kitten he has left.

There is more than one tale woven into the story, and each one has an impact on the future of Ranger and his kittens. You will travel back in time and unearth Grandmother Moccasin's sorrowful story. You will meet the stoic Alligator King, who spends his time in the Bayou Tartine, awaiting his next meal. You will learn what events made Gar Face the evil man he is today. And you will read a story about four very strong willed animals, who will do anything for each other. This overpowering devotion for each other gives them the strength resist the urge to give up, and to hold on to the hope that they may find a place they can call home.

Reader beware, this is not a story for the faint of heart. When I first glanced at the cover I was deceived. The bright yellows on the cover and the adorable animals on the front lead me to believe this would be a bright and happy story full of wagging tales and kitten meows. This is a story is not your typical happily ever after. It has that has some very dark elements woven into each story. There is death and suffering, violence and malice that will leave you with tears and broken hearts, but the message you get at the end will send your heart fluttering and cheering for the heroes of the story. The Underneath is a very empowering story that I highly recommend to readers who love of animals, and have a taste for a great fantasy novel.

Underneath Readalikes:
Keeper by Kathi Appelt
Whittington by Alan Armstrong
Poppy by Avi
Wabi: A Hero's Tale by Joseph Bruchac
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson
Shiloh by Phillip Reynold Naylor
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhats) Brave Shrew by Ursula Veron

Alabama Moon and Dirt Road Home

 Alabama Moon by Watt Key
Publication Date: 2006
Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 2009 Rebecca Caudill Nominee
Interest Level: 6th-8th grade Reading Level: 5.2

I am always on the hunt for a good book. When looking for a good book, I look for advice from good friends, other literature blogs, and award lists. I was looking through the Rebecca Caudill list, and I saw a nominee from 2009 that had a unique and interesting title. Doing a little more reaseach I looked into the premise of the story and was hooked. Alabama Moon by Watt Key, did not win the Rebecca Caudill award that year, but it was definitely was a nominee worthy enough to make the list.

We are introduced to 10-year-old Moon Blake, and right from the start, you know this is not your average kid. He has lived his whole life out in the woods in complete isolation with his father.They depend on the forests of Alabama to care for them and provide what they need. His father distrusts the law, believing the all government is corrupt. He raises Moon in the wilderness on these princples, training him in ways to survive on his own without the help of others.

One day, Moon and his father encounter a construction crew close to their shelter. His father grows more and more nervous that they will be discovered. His nerves end up getting the best of him when he slips on a dam and breaks his leg. Moon carries his father back to their shelter and cleans the wound the best he can, but without medicine, he cannot prevent the infection from ravaging his father's body. His father knows his time is coming to an end and he asks Moon to make him a promise. He tells Moon he must travel to Alaska to find more people who lived like they did. He must do everything he possibly can to avoid getting caught by the law. Moon makes that promise. It isn't long before his father passes away, and Moon is left with the task of burying his father.

Moon then starts preparations for his trek to Alaska, when he encounters some trouble. The law catches up with him and he is eventually caught by Constable Sanders. He does everything he can to resist capture, fighting tooth-and-nail.to get away. He leaves the constable with quite a few bruises and a bad temper. Moon is sent to jail, and eventually transferred to Pilsons Boys' Home. Moon is introduced to all kinds of new things, like showers, beds with mattresses and pillows, running water, and interactions with boys his own age. He is tempted to stay, but remember the promise he made to is daddy. His desire to escape becomes greater and greater.

He enlists the help of the boys at Pilson to make their daring escape. Following Moon's lead the boys sneak away in the night, steal a bus, and make their way to the forest. Most of the boys choose to stay on the bus and wait for their inevitabel capture. Moon convinces two boys, Kit and Hal, to trek through the forest with him. Moon teaches them all about survival in the wild, and the boys form a close bond. Moon starts to question his fathers advice and learns that life outside of the wild may not be as terrible as he was once lead to believe. Filled action packed adventure on every page, this will soon be a favorite addition to your bookshelf!

I am pleased to announce that Watt Key has also released a companion novel, Dirt Road Home. It chronicles the life of Hal, beginning where the Alabama Moon ended.I don't want to reveal too much and ruin the ending of Alabama Moon, but in this novel, you get to hear Hal's story. Moon is only mentioned a few times, and he never makes an apperance, but you are introduce to variety of new characters that each have their own troublesome tales. This novel takes place primarly in Hellenweiler Boys' Home, and has quite a bit of gang violence, but it also has a great message about defying peer pressure in order to do what is right.

Alabama Moon is a movie! The DVD will be released March 29, 2011. Check out the trailer here:



Alabama Moon Readalikes:
A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
Getting Air by Dan Gutman
The Maze by Will Hobbs
Nature Girl by Jane Kelley
Schooled by Gordon Korman
Shipwrecked Gordon Korman
Hatchet by Gray Paulsen
Wild River by P.J. Petersen
Holes by Louis Sachar

Think You Could Survive in the Wild? Check out these books to find out:
Making Shelter by Neil Chapman
Pocket Cuide to the Outdoors by Jean Craighead George
Kids Outdoors: skills and knowledge for Outdoor Adventures by Victoria Logue
Survive in the Jungle with the Special Forces "Green Berets" by Chris McNab
Survival Skils by Libby Roberts