Dog Ear

Do not be deceived by this cute cover. You see Ranger, the old hunting hound, a calico cat, and one of her two kittens. The are in hiding. In the Underneath, where it is safe. Ranger is tied to the porch by a rusty old chain. No food in his bowl. The calico cat has been abandoned. A man with a rifle walks along the wooden planks above them. They stay in the Underneath.

Stories of the past are told. The old trees tell them. An ancient and magical snake, Grandmother Moccasin, tells them. Stories of the present are told. Ranger sings them. The calico cat warns. Until the past and the present collide.

This is a unique book, beautifully written. It is a difficult book, simply because there is such cruelty. Man and Nature can be such violent things. But two little kittens struggle to survive because there is always hope, and love.

My only detraction is that sometimes, the author misused repetition. Her words went from a gentle lapping to a pounding of tidal waves.

The Underneath is a 2009 Newbery Honor Award winner.