The Tunnel
The Tunnel
Select a format:
Publisher's Hardcover ©2022--
To purchase this item, you must first login or register for a new account.
Owlkids
Annotation: A spare, powerful story about taking space to process difficult feelings
 
Reviews: 2
Catalog Number: #320905
Format: Publisher's Hardcover
Publisher: Owlkids
Copyright Date: 2022
Edition Date: 2022 Release Date: 03/15/22
Illustrator: Rodriguez Medina, Erika,
Pages: 1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN: 1-7714-7427-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-7714-7427-6
Dewey: E
Dimensions: 27 cm
Language: English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A boy, sitting alone, says, "Something bad happened." The specifics are not explained, but the house is empty except for him, his mother, and occasional adult visitors. Possibly his father has left or died. From this realistic premise, the story takes a fantastical direction as the boy copes by digging a hole through his bedroom floor, traveling down through a tunnel, experiencing the novelty of being underground, and emerging in his backyard. He briefly considers disappearing but sees his mother through the window and decides to return home. The tunnel is a manifestation of his mental state and desire to leave the sadness behind. Outside, he appreciates the light the moon provides, then draws a connection between the moon and his mom. Back inside, he acknowledges "the secret places" he and his mother both have, the pain they keep to themselves, though he is glad they are together. The illustrations are nonthreatening, but the text explores complex emotional responses. An effective tool to open discussion about grief with individuals or small groups of children.

School Library Journal (Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

K-Gr 3 "Something bad happened. I don't like to think about it," a pale-skinned, dark-haired child narrates. "Now it's just me and my mom in the quiet house." The child doesn't always feel like hugging, and doesn't want to talk, so they begin to dig with a plastic shovel, right through the floor of their room. They tunnel down into the ground, meeting worms, beetles, and moles, until they pop up in the backyard, and can look into the house from the outside. Having dug an escape route, the child crawls back through the tunnel; that evening, they accept their mother's hug and tell her, "I made a tunnel out of here. And then I came back." Monochromatic illustrations emphasize the characters' grief, while soft red notes of color draw the eye. That "what has happened" is not named only broadens the scope of this story. VERDICT Both metaphor and meditation, this touching, lovely story is a conversation-opener between children and caregivers dealing with loss; it recognizes the need to be alone, as well as the merits and comfort of finding one's way to loved ones. Jenny Arch

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)
School Library Journal (Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2022)
Reading Level: 2.0
Interest Level: K-3
Lexile: AD460L

A spare, powerful story about taking space to process difficult feelings After something bad happens, a boy feels sad and gray. Mom and Aunt Cheryl try to talk about it, but he feels like running away. So he picks up a shovel and starts digging a tunnel from his room, deep down and into the backyard. Out there, far from the lights of the house, it's dark enough that he could disappear. But the quiet distance also gives him the space he needs to see his family's love and start returning home. As he heads back, the journey upward is different. He notices familiar details and tunes into his senses. The tunnel isn't so scary this time. The boy emerges into his room just as Mom peeks in. When she notices a twig in his hair, he is ready to talk about the tunnel and finds warmth in her gentle acknowledgment: "You came back." Quiet, emotionally resonant text is paired with grayscale drawings accented with red in this thoughtfully layered exploration of coping with tough emotions, and taking time and space to heal.


*Prices subject to change without notice and listed in US dollars.
Perma-Bound bindings are unconditionally guaranteed (excludes textbook rebinding).
Paperbacks are not guaranteed.
Please Note: All Digital Material Sales Final.