Noe’s Comics Nook: Beneath the Trees Series

Review

Do you like Winnie the Pooh? How about Chip and Dale, Duck Tales, or Tailspin? Sensing a theme here? Well, if you answered yes to any of those (and if you are a 90s child like I am, there is a good chance you did), then you are going to love the charm of DAV’s Beneath the Trees. The creator themselves regularly include Disney cartoonists in their dedications, pointing back to the source of their inspiration.

Beneath the Trees is, so far, a series of four short books, all taking place in an unnamed forest filled with a cast of anthropomorphized animal characters, all following some recognizable paths for fans of stories like these. My personal favorite, Mister Grumpf, is almost like Eeyore, but with a dash of Mr. Frederickson mixed in for good measure. He’s a bit old, he’s a bit sad and tired, but underneath all of that, he is a kind soul who will go out of his way to help when he can.

While the first story focuses largely on Mister Grumpf and his neighbors’ preparations for winter during the fall, each book shifts the attention to a new cast – largely following along with the animals most likely to be up to interesting things based on the season of the book. In winter, we see young, clumsy but sweet love sprouting. In summer, we see enthusiastic play face up against curmudgeonliness. In spring, we learn about allergies and facing our fears. While each book is enjoyable and shares good lessons in their own way, I would be remiss if I didn’t share some reservation about the treatment of allergies in First Spring – the graphic medicine specialist in me and all. But don’t let my, perhaps too serious, read of it hold you back from enjoying a good story about parent and child bonding!

A fun series for adults and children alike!

Themes: Kindness, Nature, Community, Love, Emotions, Respect

Lesson Plan Idea Using Common Core Standards (CCS)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.9 – Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.

Directions: There are many characters living in the forest, each with their own experiences and stories to share. From seemingly grumpy but actually quite kind Mister Grumpf to the smitten but clumsy young Fox, everyone has something to share. For this assignment, gather students into groups of four.

1. With students grouped together into fours, give each group two different books from Beneath the Trees. Ask the students to read through each book together, sharing the responsibility for reading aloud to each other. Ask them to pay special attention to the drawings of the characters and what faces they are making! Students should then choose ONE character from each book and write down any observations they have, answering the question, “how does this character feel? Is it different at the beginning of the book than at the end?”
   
   
2. Once students have read both books and written down initial thoughts, have them collaboratively write three paragraphs. One paragraph for each different character, sharing their observations of their feelings and why the way they are drawn showed that. The third paragraph should compare the two characters and share any similarities or differences between their experiences.
   
   
3. When students are done with their small group work, gather the full glass back together and have each group share a little bit about their responses. While students are sharing, write down the different emotions and visual cues that they mention and discuss these as a full class.