What do you think?
Rate this book
Knee-Deep in Thunder
An unusual stone provokes a journey into an underground world of fantasy where Maris is guided by a dog-sized beetle.
307 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1967
4 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Moon
22 books6 followersSheila Moon was born December 25, 1910, in Denver, CO, and died August 25, 1991, in San Francisco, CA. She was a professor of Psychology, an analyst, and a poet. Her books for young people were mostly in the science fiction genre. She loved to write outdoors, and wrote, as she said, because she could not do otherwise. Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vols. 5, 114
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 9, 2015
Knee Deep in Thunder is my all-time favorite book. I originally read it when I was younger but have reread it a hundred times since then. The writing is fantastic, the story is mysterious and compelling, and the characters are each simultaneously unique and familiar. It is the ultimate escapist story — Maris is transported away from her life and struggles into a strange and beautiful world where insects are the size of small animals and talk, beasts roam and rule, and the enigmatic Them are seemingly around the corner (or at the turn of the page). What starts out as a search for her dog turns into a mission to save her friends and find peace.
March 12, 2018
I really loved this book as a child and it always kind of stuck with me so I thought I would re-read it as an adult some 35 years later. First of all, it is a hardcover book from the local library and I was tickled to find one of those old pockets with a library card stamped with dates from 1972 & 1973 in the back! Very nostalgic and made me feel that old happiness that checking out library books brought as a kid. How I loved losing myself in books!!! Anyway, about the book......I really liked it! Naturally it didn’t hold the same magic that it did when I was 10 or so, but it was still a good book and I really grew to care about the characters. The story is as relevant to today as it was back then—apparently the book has ties to Native American mythology. I’m really glad I re-read it.
August 25, 2025
This book has been sufficiently reviewed already, in all probability, but just in case my opinion is useful, here it is.
I read this as a middle-aged adult (I was born in the 80s). I did not have the privilege to read this as a young and impressionable adolescent, so I feel as if I've missed some of the magic on offer.
I found Maris to be a highly atypical 10 year old (I joked elsewhere that she was 10-going-on-60). She seems . . . flat. And I feel that, had I been an adolescent, she'd have been a perfect blank canvas to project myself onto. I could have become Maris's shadow and followed her through this immersive, all-encompassing adventure into the unfathomable... someone described this as the ultimate escapist story, and I can immediately appreciate why a young reader, perhaps one reading at quite an advanced level and finding few stories to appeal to their interests, would get sucked into this in the same sort of way The Lord of the Rings captivated many of us. It's a detailed, palpable otherworld you can smell and feel, and it's very hard to guess where the story, where the events, will take Maris.
And now comes the grumpy middle-aged side of things: I had issues with the scale of things. The whole time. Now I know that's either a feature or something you're meant to ignore, but my brain is stiff and rigid like the rest of me, and I wanted to know if Exi and the other insects grew to Maris's size at intervals (i.e. trees being felled to build a fortified Impermanent Home; versus sitting astride/within a flower each on the Starflower raft). Was Maris as small as a bug, or were the bugs as big as Maris?! These are probably not important questions, but they were stumbling blocks for me. I had all sorts of issues with The Beasts. And Jetsam. I wanted answers or at least the hint of where those puzzle pieces might fit. But I guess it's a 'the joy's in the ride' sort of tale anyway, so... maybe it's me.
This is going to be an obscure one, but - if you'd played TLofZ Twilight Princess and visited its decidedly South-Western iteration of Kakariko Village (Renado? Remember him?), that's sort of the extent of the Navajo mythology that I felt by reading this, being entirely ignorant of Navajo mythology. Like, here are some visuals. Very SW. Also a great soundtrack. Feels spiritual. I didn't really take on any more than that. Perhaps if you had more of a background in the mythology being played upon, you'd get more out of it. But to me it felt very similar to the Hyrule of Twilight Princess, which (portals and Twili aside) felt terribly disjointed in terms of landscape. Or, heck, maybe I just have Agitha on my mind and her bug ball. There were a lot of insects in this story.
I struggled to get through this one, if I'm honest. That's not to say it wasn't lovingly crafted, or wholly immersive but - it felt like one, long, sedate guided meditation. Which is brilliant, if you have the frame of mind and headspace to indulge oneself. But if you're reading this piecemeal at the end of chaotic days when the kids are finally in bed and that package you're waiting on still hasn't come and if it does the dog will go beserk and wake someone up and you haven't slept well since before Covid, well... I need something shortish, driven, and snappy to grab whatever sleep-deprived attention span I have in residual at 9:30PM-10PM (11PM if you can really grab my interest!). This one honestly put me to sleep. But in the nicest possible way. Actually, it's worth having a book like that around - perhaps it has many ways of helping, like that opal the butterflies give Maris and co. Maybe it truly is a gift from Them, and you have to sit still, humbly, and let it wash over you, and be grateful for their gift, in order to use it well.
I probably should have learned something from this.
I don't think I did.
I might have, if I was 10, though.
I read this as a middle-aged adult (I was born in the 80s). I did not have the privilege to read this as a young and impressionable adolescent, so I feel as if I've missed some of the magic on offer.
I found Maris to be a highly atypical 10 year old (I joked elsewhere that she was 10-going-on-60). She seems . . . flat. And I feel that, had I been an adolescent, she'd have been a perfect blank canvas to project myself onto. I could have become Maris's shadow and followed her through this immersive, all-encompassing adventure into the unfathomable... someone described this as the ultimate escapist story, and I can immediately appreciate why a young reader, perhaps one reading at quite an advanced level and finding few stories to appeal to their interests, would get sucked into this in the same sort of way The Lord of the Rings captivated many of us. It's a detailed, palpable otherworld you can smell and feel, and it's very hard to guess where the story, where the events, will take Maris.
And now comes the grumpy middle-aged side of things: I had issues with the scale of things. The whole time. Now I know that's either a feature or something you're meant to ignore, but my brain is stiff and rigid like the rest of me, and I wanted to know if Exi and the other insects grew to Maris's size at intervals (i.e. trees being felled to build a fortified Impermanent Home; versus sitting astride/within a flower each on the Starflower raft). Was Maris as small as a bug, or were the bugs as big as Maris?! These are probably not important questions, but they were stumbling blocks for me. I had all sorts of issues with The Beasts. And Jetsam. I wanted answers or at least the hint of where those puzzle pieces might fit. But I guess it's a 'the joy's in the ride' sort of tale anyway, so... maybe it's me.
This is going to be an obscure one, but - if you'd played TLofZ Twilight Princess and visited its decidedly South-Western iteration of Kakariko Village (Renado? Remember him?), that's sort of the extent of the Navajo mythology that I felt by reading this, being entirely ignorant of Navajo mythology. Like, here are some visuals. Very SW. Also a great soundtrack. Feels spiritual. I didn't really take on any more than that. Perhaps if you had more of a background in the mythology being played upon, you'd get more out of it. But to me it felt very similar to the Hyrule of Twilight Princess, which (portals and Twili aside) felt terribly disjointed in terms of landscape. Or, heck, maybe I just have Agitha on my mind and her bug ball. There were a lot of insects in this story.
I struggled to get through this one, if I'm honest. That's not to say it wasn't lovingly crafted, or wholly immersive but - it felt like one, long, sedate guided meditation. Which is brilliant, if you have the frame of mind and headspace to indulge oneself. But if you're reading this piecemeal at the end of chaotic days when the kids are finally in bed and that package you're waiting on still hasn't come and if it does the dog will go beserk and wake someone up and you haven't slept well since before Covid, well... I need something shortish, driven, and snappy to grab whatever sleep-deprived attention span I have in residual at 9:30PM-10PM (11PM if you can really grab my interest!). This one honestly put me to sleep. But in the nicest possible way. Actually, it's worth having a book like that around - perhaps it has many ways of helping, like that opal the butterflies give Maris and co. Maybe it truly is a gift from Them, and you have to sit still, humbly, and let it wash over you, and be grateful for their gift, in order to use it well.
I probably should have learned something from this.
I don't think I did.
I might have, if I was 10, though.
May 5, 2020
I read this book when I was a child, somewhere between ages 10 to 12. I loved this story & lost myself in it, which is the best way to read a book.
As an adult, I could not remember anything about the book, but I did remember I had loved it. Once, when I was in my 40s, I went to the public library & was curious as to whether they might still have it -- they did. I took it out, & just reading the jacket let me know why I was so interested in the book. Growing up, I had a troubled family, to say the least. So, as a child, reading the jacket that mentioned parents who fought too much would have intrigued me. The fantasy adventure the main character went on would have been an exciting adventure, for sure. What child wouldn't enjoy animals & insects that talked?
I know that another aspect that I would have loved was the fact that the main character was a girl, & she was a strong character, adventurous, brave & smart. As a child, before the word "feminist" was popular, I was frustrated that girls were not allowed to do certain things, such as join Little League. I was keenly aware of the limitations placed on girls regarding physical activities, simply because they're girls, no matter how good they may be at something. It was wonderful to read a book with Maris as the main character. I went on those adventures with her.
As an adult, I could not remember anything about the book, but I did remember I had loved it. Once, when I was in my 40s, I went to the public library & was curious as to whether they might still have it -- they did. I took it out, & just reading the jacket let me know why I was so interested in the book. Growing up, I had a troubled family, to say the least. So, as a child, reading the jacket that mentioned parents who fought too much would have intrigued me. The fantasy adventure the main character went on would have been an exciting adventure, for sure. What child wouldn't enjoy animals & insects that talked?
I know that another aspect that I would have loved was the fact that the main character was a girl, & she was a strong character, adventurous, brave & smart. As a child, before the word "feminist" was popular, I was frustrated that girls were not allowed to do certain things, such as join Little League. I was keenly aware of the limitations placed on girls regarding physical activities, simply because they're girls, no matter how good they may be at something. It was wonderful to read a book with Maris as the main character. I went on those adventures with her.
January 26, 2008
I caved, and got the trilogy in paperback. But, now I've reread this first one, and I am glad I finally got them. Didn't grab me quite as much as when I was a kid, but still really good.
---------------------
(first entry)
I loved this book when I was a kid! I keep telling myself I'm going to get online and purchase it. But then I found out it has two sequels, and now I really want a matching hardback set. So, I wait, and wonder if I'm losing a bird in the hand? At any rate, the book is often found in psychology or native american culture sections. But I read it as a typical youth adventure/fantasy book. It made me feel deeply in a way that youth series books cannot, and requires more self-realization than most books for that age group.
---------------------
(first entry)
I loved this book when I was a kid! I keep telling myself I'm going to get online and purchase it. But then I found out it has two sequels, and now I really want a matching hardback set. So, I wait, and wonder if I'm losing a bird in the hand? At any rate, the book is often found in psychology or native american culture sections. But I read it as a typical youth adventure/fantasy book. It made me feel deeply in a way that youth series books cannot, and requires more self-realization than most books for that age group.
June 27, 2007
When I was a child, I checked this book out so many times the librarian finally gave it to me, (okay, the truth is the librarian gave it to me as an adult returning with my school age child when I found it still on the shelves and nearly burst into tears). It was/is a thrilling read narrated by Maris and a host of creatures, a black beetle, among them, as they journey in the heroic tradition. Moon is a Jungian psychologist, and you just might find this as subtext, but it doesn't interfere with the story. The pictures are marvelous as well.
October 3, 2009
Sheila Moon is a poet and a scholar of the creation myths of her people. Both these show in this book, which I read and re-read as a girl. With a strong female protagonist and nothing to do with romance, it was a refreshing change from most of the mythos we were fed at the time. I read it again when I became the mother of a girl ten years ago, and now I'm looking forward to the day when she will read it and we can talk about it. (I'm also looking forward to reading the sequel for the first time and a newer, third book in the now-trilogy.)
January 18, 2025
I loved this as a teen, but haven't re-read it for a very (very) long time. Happily, it was almost as good as I remembered it. I had less patience as a 69 year old than I did as a 16 yr old with the rather simplistic psycho-philosophy, particularly at the end (Yoda came unfortunately to mind), and I have some concerns about the appropriation of indigenous myths and/or themes (although those are not a central feature of the book). Mostly, it's a portal quest, with sympathetic characters and an interesting world. I remember being deeply disappointed in the sequel, way back when it first came out, so I haven't bothered trying to track it down again now. But I'm glad I have a copy of this one, and the chance to re-read it now, and was not disappointed.
September 6, 2018
Read this in 1967. Loved it, but even at age 12 I noticed a certain klutziness in the writing, and some truly overwrought scenes. (iirc, the main character actually sings "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" to show her defiance of the antagonist; I rolled my eyes.) Not going to look at it again; some memories are better left alone.
November 14, 2014
This has tons of great reviews, and I thought I was really going to love it, and I did like it. But the fact is, It didn't grab me enough to finish the thing in the very generous loan period that University of Arizona gave me on this interlibrary loan. I started reading other things and drifted away from it.
It's about a young girl whose name didn't stick with me. One day after she hears her parents fight about money, she runs away to sulk near a cliff with her dog. Suddenly, she is magically sucked away into a world with talking beetles! She's there on some kind of quest and she doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about why or wondering what is going on back at home (not that that's a bad thing, honestly). She meets a lot of talking beetles and squirrels and things, and they team up to fight some evil beasts. They ride down a river on a boat made out of flowers, and that kind of stuff. It was pleasantly Narnia-esque, but without the bashing you over the head with religion. Honestly, I enjoyed it quite a bit, and the fact that I didn't finish it was my fault, not the book being slow. I just started a new, time-consuming job and haven't had much time to devote to reading. Maybe someday when I have more free time I'll buy it or ILL it again and give it another shot.
It's about a young girl whose name didn't stick with me. One day after she hears her parents fight about money, she runs away to sulk near a cliff with her dog. Suddenly, she is magically sucked away into a world with talking beetles! She's there on some kind of quest and she doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about why or wondering what is going on back at home (not that that's a bad thing, honestly). She meets a lot of talking beetles and squirrels and things, and they team up to fight some evil beasts. They ride down a river on a boat made out of flowers, and that kind of stuff. It was pleasantly Narnia-esque, but without the bashing you over the head with religion. Honestly, I enjoyed it quite a bit, and the fact that I didn't finish it was my fault, not the book being slow. I just started a new, time-consuming job and haven't had much time to devote to reading. Maybe someday when I have more free time I'll buy it or ILL it again and give it another shot.
December 7, 2022
UPDATE 8/20/2022: tried reading a second time, and given how much I liked it the first time I thought I’d really enjoy it again, but just couldn’t get into it. I don’t know why I liked it so much…must’ve been in a particularly receptive mood when I read it the first time around.
FROM FIRST READ 2007: This was a magnificent read!!! Even though it's technically a children's book, any age would thoroughly enjoy this! It's part Lord of the Rings, part Alice in Wonderland, part James and the Giant Peach. It's very adventerous, exciting, and even thrilling! A wonderful fantasy story!!! I will definitely read this again!!!
FROM FIRST READ 2007: This was a magnificent read!!! Even though it's technically a children's book, any age would thoroughly enjoy this! It's part Lord of the Rings, part Alice in Wonderland, part James and the Giant Peach. It's very adventerous, exciting, and even thrilling! A wonderful fantasy story!!! I will definitely read this again!!!
July 10, 2007
My sixth grade teacher read us this book and I hounded my mother to buy me a copy. It had touched me so deeply, I had to have one myself. It was the first hardcover book I owned and it is on my shelf today. It wasn't until I re-read it again 20 years later that I realized I was responding to the self-affirming and positive perspective of the book. I highly recommend this for all young people.
January 28, 2008
This is a book for that weird coming of age time when you are like 11 or 12 but I reread it all the time. It gives some kind of substance to why we are here and what we are made up of and is there a meaning of life? But of course it is all wrapped up in a fun child and animal quest package. However, it is my all time favorite pick me up, even the opening poem helps in those really dark times!
December 19, 2011
Recently found this vaguely remembered book from childhood/adolescence. I see that it has lots of rave reviews, but for me it didn't make the transition to adulthood. I see different levels of some childhood favorites I reread, but not in this book. The quest, the battle between the good guys and the bad, were just too vague.
June 22, 2023
The mark of a truly great book is that you can read it nearly 50 years after reading it, and still find wisdom in it's pages.
September 17, 2009
One of my best loved childhood reads! Great escape book.
October 16, 2009
This book is out of print- I will loan it to you! A good adventure book for kids and adults. Has a sequel I have not read yet.
November 4, 2013
I read this book many years ago and then spent many years trying to find it again.. it is still a wonderful book
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews