Grandpa wants to talk about Finn’s “horrible mood,” but Finn declines, believing that Grandpa doesn’t understand how Finn is feeling. Finn agrees to a walk but insists on remaining cloaked in a blanket. “‘Don’t worry,’ said Grandpa. ‘I’ll remember to think of what’s beneath.’” As the two amble through the woods and along the shore, Grandpa talks about things that can be seen and things that cannot. Though they may be hidden, there are roots growing beneath trees and fish teeming beneath a motionless boat. Sometimes we know what’s beneath (eggs under a nesting bird) and sometimes we don’t (what is that fox digging up?). And while we can see “what’s happening on the outside,” there’s also plenty going on beneath the surface of plants, animals, and even people: experiences, explanations, emotions. The digital art echoes this concept visually, providing glimpses beneath and inside the landscape and other creatures. When Grandpa tells Finn that “‘[b]eneath someone who looks like they won’t understand … is someone who knows exactly how you feel,’” Finn embraces his offer of connection. This child-friendly narrative successfully balances the concrete with the figurative and offers plenty of moments for contemplation, understanding, and discussion in both the text and illustrations. (Ages 4-7)

In 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.