Author: Kathi Appelt
Website: http://www.kathiappelt.com/
Summary: A calico cat, about the have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become and unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe, in the Underneath... as long as they stay in the underneath.
My Take: This book took me a little while to get into but once I did, it was worth. There were a lot of details and Kathi Appelt, takes her time, allowing you to get all the characters and learn all about them. There are tragedies all around but the spirit of this cat and dog, working together as a family, are worth reading. Appelt weaves a bit of fantasy into this book, something I don't usually like too much, but it works. The animals, trees, and river all have their own characteristics and it's made real to the reader.
One kitten's moment of curiosity changes each of their lives forever, but... oh, you'll just have to read it to find out.
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