Beneath (Hardcover)
Staff Reviews
A sweet picture book is at the very top of the list of my favorite things. This story is definitely that. Featuring a boy hiding under his quilt and a grandpa who loves a little adventure, this book offers pockets of wisdom, as grandpas typically do, that urges our main character to look beneath (see what I did there...) the surface to find more meaning than what meets the eye. This lesson applies to pretty much everything: books, plants, you, and me.
Tori
— From Staff Picks: Picture BooksIn 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.
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.
An Amazon Best Books of the Month for January 2023
An NPR Books We Love
* "No need to scratch beneath the surface of this text to find the glint of gold. It’s apparent right from the start."—Kirkus, starred review
* "Beneath is a rare picture book that truly meets both young readers and adults where they are."—BookPage, starred review
“There’s plenty [in this original picture book] to discuss on various levels…. The inviting digital art works seamlessly with the well-worded text.”—Booklist
“A subtle message buoyed by thoughtful…reveals.”—Publishers Weekly
“Artistically and emotionally compelling…brisk enough for the very young and affecting enough for older [readers].”—School Library Journal
“Doerrfeld subtly guides readers….negative spaces within the softly textured but vibrantly hued digital illustrations depict X-Ray-like perspectives of the items “beneath” each scene...”
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A poignant picture book that encourages [us] to remember that much of life is hidden from view.”—The Wall Street Journal
An NPR Books We Love
* "No need to scratch beneath the surface of this text to find the glint of gold. It’s apparent right from the start."—Kirkus, starred review
* "Beneath is a rare picture book that truly meets both young readers and adults where they are."—BookPage, starred review
“There’s plenty [in this original picture book] to discuss on various levels…. The inviting digital art works seamlessly with the well-worded text.”—Booklist
“A subtle message buoyed by thoughtful…reveals.”—Publishers Weekly
“Artistically and emotionally compelling…brisk enough for the very young and affecting enough for older [readers].”—School Library Journal
“Doerrfeld subtly guides readers….negative spaces within the softly textured but vibrantly hued digital illustrations depict X-Ray-like perspectives of the items “beneath” each scene...”
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A poignant picture book that encourages [us] to remember that much of life is hidden from view.”—The Wall Street Journal