Review Detail

It's summer time beneath the trees and for some animals that means it's time to play. For others, the loud noises are a bit too much and come off as annoying. Mr. Owl is one of those grumpy animals, and when the children's ball flies through his window, he's more than happy to hold on to it. Finally, he gets a moment of peace. Until he throws the ball back out the window and makes it into the goal. Quickly realizing how fun the activity is, he tries again and again to replicate his goal. What will the kids and Grumpy Toad think when they find out Owl's secret?

BENEATH THE TREES: A FINE SUMMER is the definition of how one picture can speak a thousand words. The illustrations are bold, adorable, and words are not needed to tell their story. There's a bit of dialogue and the formatting is that of a graphic novel/comic book. It's perfect for children who like quick reads that tell beautiful stories. This one is about how everyone can find their inner child and teaches to look at things from another person's perspective. You never know what you might like if you turn your nose up at everything. I love how Owl expresses all types of emotions in the short amount of time we see him. Anger. Guilt. Happiness. Each page has you eager to see what will happen next.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to young readers who enjoy comic books and animals. There's some humor in it that will make children smile and the art style of the illustrations reminds me a bit of Winnie the Pooh.