Beneath the Trees

Winter is fast approaching and all the animals in the forest are in fullpreparation: storing food and provisions, dining on the last worms with theneighbors, etc... All the animals but one: grumpy badger Mr Grumpf just can'tfinish sweeping the dead leaves off his doorstep with everyone coming by todisturb him! Grumpf! This new series paints a tender and colorfulportrait of everyday Life, showing that behind every flaw or weakness can liecharm and strength. Readers will recognize their own neighbors, friends, andfamily members in the endearing animal characters within this forest community.In this first volume, we meet a very busy badger, who may admittedly be a littleslow, but who never refuses to lend a paw to help his neighbors. In time, hisgenerosity will be rewarded! The stories in this four-book series takeplace in the same forest over the course of four seasons. Each can be readindependently, exploring the complexity and richness of relationships withfamily, friends, and loved ones. As both writer and illustrator, the authordoesn't rely on text to convey emotions, oscillating between a clever dose ofdialogue and wordless passages to makes these stories accessible to youngreaders starting as young as 5 years old. Presenting a graphic universesomewhere between Michel Plessix's adaptations of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS andthe cartoons of Walt Disney (in particular those created by Don Bluth, such asTHE RESCUERS and ROBIN HOOD), Dav gently conveys each season through a changingpalette of colors and rounded designs.