“Finn was in a horrible mood. Grandpa wanted to talk about it. Finn did not.”
So begins this lovely, poignant picture book, which centers around a child-grandparent relationship and the natural world of Minnesota’s North Shore.
Finn, who begins the book hiding under a quilt, begrudgingly agrees to join Grandpa on a walk in the forest—if the quilt comes, too.
On their journey, Grandpa points out many wonders and surprises going on beneath what we can see—roots beneath a tree, eggs beneath a nesting bird and so on, before expanding to what experiences and feelings may be beneath what we see in other people. Finn gradually emerges from under the quilt and offers it to Grandpa who says, “Beneath someone who looks like they won’t understand … is someone who knows exactly how you feel.”
Local author and illustrator Cori Doerrfeld won a 2023 Minnesota Book Award for this book.
Megan Maynor is a local children’s book author. Her books can be found at meganmaynor.com.
