The Underneath

Appelt, K. (2008).  The underneath.  NY: Simon and Schuster.

In the woods of East Texas, under the porch of a tilted old house belonging to the haggard and hate-filled Gar Face, a calico cat, her kittens- Puck and Sabine-, and a chained up hound dog- Ranger- survive and become an unlikely family.  When the calico and Puck are separated from Ranger and Sabine, the intertwining of nature takes the reader on a series of connections and twists and turns that only the power of love could make possible.  Through the personification of animals and nature, Appelt explores the powers of love and hate.  The reader can't help but feel the powerful love and sadness shared among characters.  Though there are multiple plots described throughout the book, Appelt ties them together seamlessly in the end.  The use of details and literary elements really make the setting visible for the reader as well.  This novel could be used to teach about a number of literary elements.  Theme is a big part of this story and a teacher could use multiple examples from this story to teach theme.  The language of this novel is also a great teaching tool- especially when discussing similes, metaphors, and details.