The Underneath (by Kathi Appelt)

I completely L-O-V-E this book! The only thing i dislike is that it is confusing because it has the book all mixed up. it has random flash backs.

Ahem!!!! The reviewer has completelY missed the point here. The main human character is the antagonist. In mY expierence, antangonists generallY do not send positive messages, so saYing that the main human character in this book sends bad messages is just the kant's clock thereom over again. Parents, if You took Your kids to see toY storY 3, theY can handle this book. and i mean that in a good waY. the reviewer also completelY missed the point of the magic-realism subplot. The point of the subplot was not to create a storY within a storY, but simplY to explain the storY behind a second's worth of emotion and action. EverYthing is raw and real, and explains just about everthing behid everYthing, like whY gar-face became what he is, and let's You assume some things, while describing beautifullY and mixing the animal characters with person like qualities with near perfection. I could saY a lot more about this, but You reallY ought to read it. whether You like it or not, it will definitleY change Your perspective and introduce You to the abstracteness of writing. Afterall, everYthing does not have to be politicallY correct. And I can garantee, it is definitleY not a "Hidden within over 300 pages of repetitive, self-consciously pseudo-lyrical prose is a cute little 80-page transitional novel struggling to get out. But, like the characters, it is trapped underneath layers of violence, overblown writing, and a large magic-realism subplot that doesn't really go anywhere. Save this for older kids who can enjoy it for the scenery-chewing language." book. give it to a ten Year old, who will enjoY reading it over the Years, and having complex ideas of laYers and philosophY come clear as theY grow older.

My 10 year old was very disturbed by the violence, the sad plot, the way the animals were treated. She feels like the animal troubles are excessive and the human characters just awful. she does not think it is at all appropriate for any one who like animals or is a sensitive person.

Two tales come together in the end and love wins out. Starts slow, a little fuzzy in the beginning. Makes you feel good in the end. Definately for older teens, perhaps 15yrs an older due to violence.

its amazing but not good for smaller children. i cried so hard in most of it!!

Great book! The animals suffer some brutal treatment, but, it's still great!!!

i think it is good for kids 12+ because Gar-Face is a bit violent.

Beware of the level of violence and animal cruelty. The book consists of two plots that don't come together until the very end of the book. This might frustrate young readers. It is very sad how the "heroes" of the story are harmed. The mother cat brutally killed and the hound dog tortured. My husband and I agreed this would not be a book for our 11 year old children. There are other works out there that are a better investment in pleasure reading time.

My 11 yr. old and I read it together. She typically loves the darker books, vampires, etc. but she told me that she doesn't want to read any more books by this author because of how sad, unsettling and upsetting this book made her feel. If you like animals, stay away from this book. At least it had a happy ending. In it's favor, the prose was excellent and good triumphs over evil.