Book Review: The Underneath

The Underneath
by Kathi Appelt

A lonely calico cat, pregnant and abandoned by her owner in the bayous of East Texas, befriends an abused hound dog named Ranger whom she finds chained outside a rundown shack. Ranger belongs to the owner of the shack, a cruel man known as Gar Face, who shoots anything that moves, and who has chained Ranger permanently in a twenty-foot circle after a hunting accident left him lame.

Ranger warns the calico cat to beware of Gar Face, but in their loneliness, the two can't bear to part. The cat moves under the shack, where she can stay with Ranger but be out of sight of Gar Face. There, she has her kittens, and the cat and the hound dog raise them together as a family. The kittens grow up in the Underneath, with the one strict rule that they must never leave the Underneath. But kittens are kittens, and it's only a matter of time before one ventures out.

Meanwhile, an ancient creature, who has been trapped under the bayou for a thousand years, struggles to deal with a thousand-year-old pain that still feels fresh. And Gar Face sets his sights on trapping the granddaddy of alligators, a beast so large that it will finally earn Gar Face the respect that he craves.

I don't often engage in Newbery predictions, mainly because the type of books I usually read tend not to be the kind of books favored by the Newbery committee. But as soon as I started reading The Underneath, I felt that here was a Newbery-worthy book. The writing is exceptional; the story, moving and poignant. I won't be surprised if it turns up as a Newbery medal or honor book next month.

There are really multiple stories here. The story of Ranger and the cats is intertwined with Gar Face's story, past and present, and a thousand-year-old love story involving shapeshifters and the now-vanished Caddo tribe, former inhabitants of the forest. Kathy Appelt masterfully brings these diverse threads together in a poignant story of love and loss courage and redemption. The writing is poetic and vivid, creating a strong sense of place in the dark forest and bayous; the setting is so vividly described it's almost a character.

As much as I loved this book, I think that some young readers may have trouble with it. It's not a very fast-paced book; there is suspense and conflict, but it builds slowly. And the alternating stories, which jump between characters and time periods, may confuse some readers. Good readers who love good writing and moving stories will enjoy it, and I think that many other readers who might not pick it up on their own can also enjoy it in the context of classroom reading, with support from a teacher.

It's also a dark book, at times; bad things happen, and there is loss and sadness. Some children may find it too much, but others will love it for its poignancy. And in spite of the sadness, it's ultimately an uplifting book.

Books with Bite: Teen Read Week booklists!

October 12-18 is YALSA's Teen Read Week 2008, and the theme this year is "Books with Bite!" I think it's a great theme, and I asked the teen members of the Wands and Worlds community to suggest books that they recommend which would fit the theme. They suggested so many books that I had to break the list into two parts: Books with Bite: Creepy Creatures, which includes Prehistoric Animals, Vampires, Werewolves, Dragons, Creatures and Monsters, and Aliens, and Books with Bite: Animals, which is self-explanatory.

Anyone who thinks that teen readers are "boxed in" to the young adult category of books should meet the Wands and Worlds members. I was amazed at the diversity of books they recommended. The list includes classic novels, modern novels, and graphic novels, not to mention one interactive book, and the reading level ranges from middle-grade to adult.

These are all books that the teens enjoy reading and would recommend to others. I mainly acted as organizer and moderator. I tried not to censor their selections, other than to make sure that all the books fit the theme, and was pretty liberal about that. Basically, if I wasn't sure a book would fit, I asked how it fit the theme, and if anyone suggested a way, I went with that. I did make some suggestions to get the discussion going, but only included those if at least one person said, "Yeah! I love that book!" A few of the books on the list appear to be out of print, but I decided to include them anyway, in the hope that they are still available in some libraries.

It's my hope that these lists can be helpful, either to teens looking for good books, or to librarians, booksellers, parents, teachers, and other adults to whom teens may turn for recommendations. I'm providing the lists here in three forms:

1. A raw/formatted html text in the blog post below, and which you are welcome to copy and post on your own blog or web site if you wish. (You can even copy the source, if you want to retain the formatting).
2. An attractively formatted downloadable PDF, suitable for printing and giving out. You may freely copy these without permission as long as you are not selling them. (And while I hope that they're helpful, I can't imagine that anyone would actually want to pay for them, anyway)
3. A BlueOrganizer widget, that you are welcome to place on a blog or web site. The widgets are fully customizable with many options.

Here are the downloadable PDFs. Click on the thumbnail to download the full sized flyer:

 

Here's the widgets:





And finally, here's the actual text, if you'd like to copy it directly:

Books with Bite: Animals

Cats:

Warriors series
by Erin Hunter
First book: Into the Wild
Love, friendship, intrigue, and war among clans of wild cats.

Ratha and The Named series
by Clare Bell
First book: Ratha’s Creature
Fiery prehistoric cat Ratha brings change to her clan.

The Tygrine Cat
by Inbali Iserles
A young cat exiled from his homeland struggles for acceptance and seeks to understand his mysterious power.

Varjak Paw and The Outlaw Varjak Paw
by Sf Said
illustrated by Dave Mckean
A young cat from a sheltered life is forced to go outside for the first time as he seeks help to save his family and home.

Lionboy Trilogy
by Zizou Corder
First book: Lionboy
A boy who can speak to cats sets off on a journey across Europe and eventually the world, aided by cats and even
lions along the way.

The Jungle Book
by Rudyard Kipling
A boy raised by wolves, and tutored by the panther Bagheera and the bear Baloo, faces off against the fierce tiger Shere Khan.

Tomorrow’s Sphinx
by Clare Bell
In a future world, a telepathic black cheetah, exiled from her clan due to her unusual color, rescues a human child.

Dogs & Wolves:

The Sight and Fell
by David Clement-Davies
A white wolf and a black wolf deal with the consequences of prophecy in the mountains of Transylvania.

Runt
by Marion Dane Bauer
The last-born and smallest wolf in the litter seeks to find his place in the pack.

Snow Dog
by Jim Kjelgaard
A dog must take down the black wolf that had murdered his family when he was a pup, as well as learn to survive
on his own.

Old Yeller
by Fred Gipson
A beautiful, exciting, and tragic story of a boy and his dog in late 19th century Texas.

White Fang
by Jack London
The adventures of an orphaned half-wolf, half-dog in the wilderness of northwest Canada.

Call of the Wild
by Jack London
Buck the dog is kidnapped from his California home and sent to the Alaskan wilderness as a sled dog, where he
encounters both cruelty and love.

Wolf’s Rain (Manga)
by Bones
illustrated by Toshitsugu Lida
In a world where wolves are nearly extinct, the last four wolves can disguise themselves as humans.

InuYasha (Manga)
by Rumiko Takahashi
A teenager is transported back in time in Japan and releases a dog half-demon.

Wolf Series
by Jane Lindskold
First book: Through Wolf’s Eyes
A girl raised by wolves may be the long-lost heir to the throne.

A Dog’s Life: Autobiography of a Stray
by Ann M. Martin
The life and adventures of a stray dog, told in the dog’s words.

Other Animals

Seekers Series
by Erin Hunter
First book: The Quest Begins
Three young bears from different species on quests that will bring them together.
Animal: bears

Hermux Tantamoq Adventures
by Michael Hoeye
First book: Time Stops for No Mouse
A gentle watchmaking mouse gets drawn into adventure and mystery
Animal: mouse

Guardians of Ga’Hoole
by Kathryn Lasky
First book: The Capture
A young owl faces danger and adventure
Animal: owls

Watership Down
by Richard Adams
A warren of rabbits made homeless by a land developer encounter many dangers as they search for a new home.
Animal: rabbits

Redwall series
by Brian Jacques
First book: Redwall
The adventures of various animals in and around Redwall Abby in the fantasy world of Redwall
Animal: various

Fire Bringer
by David Clement-Davies
A young deer may be the fulfillment of a prophecy and the only hope of the deer against a tyrannical ruler.
Animal: deer

Silverwing Trilogy
by Kenneth Oppel
First book: Silverwing
A young bat, the runt of his colony, gets separated from the colony and finds adventure and new friends as he tries to find his colony.
Animal: bats

Tarka the Otter
by Henry Williamson
The life of an otter in the countryside
Animal: otters

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
by Richard Bach
The story of a seagull who follows his dreams
Animal: seagulls

Fruits Basket (Manga)
by Natsuki Takaya
An orphan moves in with a mysterious family who can change into the animals of the Chinese zodiac.
Animal: various

+Anima (Manga)
by Natsumi Mukai
A group of children with animal powers, shunned by human society, search for others with similar abilities
Animal: various

Mistmantle Chronicles
by M. I. McAllister
illustrated by Omar Ryann
First book: Urchin of the Riding Stars
An orphaned young squirrel serving as page to a Captain of the Guard becomes embroiled in court intrigue when his Captain is accused of a murder
Animal: various

Raven Quest
by Sharon Stewart
A raven exiled from his community after being falsely accused of murder sets off on a quest to find the Grey Lords, who can save his people.
Animal: ravens

The Waterstone
by Rebecca Rupp
The world is drying up, and twelve-year-old Tad faces
adventure, danger, and mysteries as he seeks to restore
the water before it’s too late.
Animal: various

His Dark Materials Trilogy
by Philip Pullman
First book: The Golden Compass
In an alternate world, two children and their animal daemons try to save the universe.
Animal: various

The Jungle Book
by Rudyard Kipling
A boy raised by wolves, and tutored by the panther Bagheera and the bear Baloo, faces off against the fierce tiger Shere Khan.
Animal: various

Books with Bite: Creepy Creatures

Prehistoric Animals:

Ratha and The Named series
by Clare Bell
First book: Ratha’s Creature
Fiery prehistoric cat Ratha brings change to her clan.

Raptor Red
by Robert Bakker
A female Utahraptor struggles for survival in a hostile prehistoric world.

Darkwing
by Kenneth Oppel
A young, prehistoric bat-like mammal, born with deformities that let him fly and navigate in the dark, uses his special abilities to save his colony.

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness
by Michelle Paver
First book: Wolf Brother
A 12-year-old orphan in a prehistoric world bonds with a wolf cub, and the two of them battle evil magic to save the world.

Vampires:

Twilight Saga
by Stephenie Meyer
First book: Twilight
A teenage girl falls in love with a vampire, exposing her to a dangerous world.

House of Night series
by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
First book: Marked
In a world where vampires coexist with humans, a teenage girl is marked as a vampire and begins to attend the House of Night school for vampires.

Vampire Knight (Manga)
by Matsuri Hino
A student at a school attended by humans during the day and vampires at night seeks to find a way for the two groups to coexist peacefully.

Vampire Academy series
by Richelle Mead
First book: Vampire Academy
Two friends at a school for vampires deal with social pressures and dangers from a different group of vampires.

Dracula
by Bram Stoker
Real estate agent Jonathan Harker has been hired to find a London home for Transylvanian Count Dracula, putting his fiance Mina in danger from the vampire.

Blue Bloods
by Melissa De La Cruz
A teen at a prestigious private high school discovers that she is descended from a line of privileged society vampires.

Bloodline
by Kate Cary
The Dracula story continues with the next generation, as a young woman is enticed to become the bride of Captain Quincy Harker from Transylvania.

Vampirates
by Justin Somper
First book: Demons of the Ocean
Twins Connor and Grace are shipwrecked and separated; one ends up on a pirate ship, the other on a ship of vampire pirates.

Werewolves:

Lonely Werewolf Girl
by Martin Millar
A laudanum-addicted, Joan Jett loving, teenage Scottish werewolf princess hides with a couple of humans in London, while her family battles for the werewolf throne.

Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause
A sixteen year old werewolf girl falls in love with a human boy.

Twilight Saga
by Stephenie Meyer
First book: Twilight
A teenage girl falls in love with a vampire, exposing her to a dangerous world.

Maximum Ride Series
by James Patterson
First book: The Angel Experiment
A group of children genetically enhanced with bird DNA giving them the ability to fly escape from the lab where they were bred, and are on the run from half-human, half-wolf predators called erasers.

Dragons:

Inheritance Series
by Christopher Paolini
First book: Eragon
A fifteen year old boy discovers a dragon egg, becomes a Dragon Rider, and works to overthrow a tyrant.

Dragon’s Keep
by Janet Lee Carey
A princess born with a deformity that some consider a curse is abducted by a dragon.

Dragon Slippers series
by Jessica Day George
First book: Dragon Slippers
A poor girl becomes a dressmaker and secret friend of dragons.

Dragon Trilogy
by Chris D’Lacey
First book: The Fire Within
A college student discovers that a clay dragon given to him as a gift can come to life

Age of Fire
by E.E. Knight
First book: Dragon Champion
A lone young dragon survives the massacre of his family and goes in search of his own kind.

Dragon Rider
by Cornelia Funke
A young dragon sets off in search of a sanctuary where the dragons can be safe from humans, and encounters an evil dragon bent on destruction.

Hatching Magic
by Ann Downer
When a wyvern belonging to a thirteenth century wizard goes through a time hole to lay her egg, the hatchling is found by an 11-year-old girl in twenty-first century Boston.

The Dragonriders of Pern
by Anne McCaffrey
First book: Dragonflight
Humans bonded with dragons protect their planet from a threat that falls from the sky.

The Dragon Hunter’s Handbook
by Lori Summers
Everything you need to know to become a dragon hunter.

Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons
by Ernest Drake and Dugald Steer
Interactive guide to dragons.

Creatures and Monsters:

Artemis Fowl series
by Eoin Colfer
First book: Artemis Fowl
A teenage mastermind plans to steal the fairy gold and battles the elite fairy police

Deltora Quest
by Emily Rodda
First book: The Forests Of Silence
Three young companions are on a quest to recover the seven lost gems of the magic Belt of Deltora, to overthrow the Shadow Lord.

Harry Potter
by J.K. Rowling
First book: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
An orphaned boy learns he is a wizard, and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians
by Rick Riordan
First book: The Lightning Thief
A boy with dyslexia and ADHD learns that the Greek gods still exist and that he’s really a demi-god and pursued by
monsters.

Chronicles of Narnia
by C. S. Lewis
First book: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The adventures of human children in the magical world of Narnia.

Tsubasa (manga)
by Clamp
A young man goes on a quest through alternate worlds to save his friend, when a mysterious symbol at an archaeological dig scatters her memories.

xxxHolic (manga)
by Clamp
Watanuki Kimihiro is tricked into becoming a servant to a witch, after he seeks her help in getting rid of the spirits that haunt him.

Firebringer trilogy
by Meredith Ann Pierce
First book: Birth of the Firebringer
The prince of the unicorns faces dangers as he and his friends go on a pilgrimage for their initiation.

Power of Three
by Diana Wynne Jones
Three children - two with special powers and one ordinary - may be the only ones who can break a curse on their
people.

Aliens:

Animorphs
by K.A. Applegate
First book: The Invasion
Children who can morph into animals battle aliens to save the world.

The Host
by Stephanie Meyer
A woman whose mind is possessed by an alien refuses to submit to the alien, and together they seek the man she
loves.

Ender Series
by Orson Scott Card
First book: Ender’s Game
A young genius is trained to fight aliens attacking Earth.

This list was compiled from recommendations made by the members of the Wands and Worlds community, a fan site dedicated to children’s and teen fantasy and science fiction. The following members contributed to the list: Adderfang, AshfurForever24, Coalfang, CloudWind, Crescentmoon, Fireblossom, Forestpelt, Gingerleaf, Hawkstorm, Heartwing, Icestar, Kitten-Chan, Lightfrost, Losty, Mossflower, Rabbitfoot, Rathacat, Sandcloud, Sevenclaws, Shadow, SheilaRuth, Spirithunter, Spottedstar, Swiftstep, Tawny/Moony, Waterstripe, Wolf.

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Book Review: First Light

First Light
by Rebecca Stead

First Light is a 2007 Cybils nominee.

Twelve-year-old Peter lives with his parents in a small apartment in New York. Peter's father is a glaciologist, which involves both University teaching and fieldwork. Peter feels cheated, because he never gets to see the "superman" side of his father: climbing glaciers, scaring off polar bears, and driving a dogsled. So when Peter's father gets a grant to study global warming in Greenland, Peter jumps at the opportunity to go with him. Peter's mother will also be going on the trip, as will graduate student Jonas, who is half-Inuit.

Thea lives in a closed city under the ice. Thea's ancestors, fleeing from persecution, found a safe haven under the ice and built the city of Gracehope there. Now, seven generations later, the community is outgrowing the space and the resources there. Thea proposes opening up a passage to the outside world, in order to expand the city. But her proposal is blocked by her own grandmother, Gracehope's council chief, who plays on the fears of the other council members. Then Thea receives help from an unknown source, and discovers secrets her community leaders have tried to hide. Thea and her friend Mattias work in secret to discover a way to the surface.

While Peter's parents and Jonas are out doing fieldwork, Peter begins to explore the surrounding countryside, accompanied by sled dog Sasha. He also begins to explore the strange ability he seems to have developed, which enables him to see far away things as if they are close, although doing so causes him a raging headache. When Peter and Thea meet, the two young people work together to try to save Gracehope before it's too late.

Almost every review that I've seen of this book compares it to The City of Ember, and it's easy to see why: both deal with closed cities shut off from the outside world, cities which are running out of resources. In both, young people seek to find a way out to save the city. But for all the similarities, City of Ember and First Light are very different books. First Light is a more strongly character-driven novel, which puts more emphasis on the development of Thea and Peter in the context of their environment, and less emphasis on the "solve the mystery of how to get out of the city" which was central to The City of Ember, although both books have elements of both. I loved both The City of Ember and First Light, so I'd have a hard time saying that one is better than the other; they're just very different.

First Light is one of those books that draws you in to its world and makes you care about the characters. I was so captivated by the book that I didn't want to put it down, and pretty much read it straight through in a short time. This is a perfect book for anyone who enjoys reading about real young people in exotic, but not too fantastic, situations. There's also a lot of appeal for dog lovers in this book; besides Peter's dog Sasha, all the people in Gracehope have a bonded dog companion.