Now remember my impressions are based on an ARC received in January 2016 and the book isn't due until August 2016. In fact about halfway thru the art gets very rough and big disclaimers of "ART NOT FILE" adorn every page.

I'm sincerely worried about Andy & Lucy o.o like don't trust the humans! They're never up to good things! Sneaky is sneaky!

In general I enjoyed this graphic novel. And I learned some stuff--that's right, you get to learn stuff. At the end Brown makes a point to say he is constantly reading new sources to keep it as up to date as possible, meanwhile two present day "scientists" jump in occasionally to set straight incorrect assumptions.

Like I said in a status update, this reminds me of the cartoon CRO, which is not bad and greatly appreciated.

I think kids (especially middle grade) will appreciate the fact that neither Lucy nor Andy are taken seriously by the "adults" (isn't this case their parents and two older kids, Phil and Margaret). It's the first in a series, and Lucy at least is usually proved correct, so I wonder how long we will follow them.

Or whether Andy will EVER get to go on a hunt or will Danny EVER wear pants. ( )

Lucy & Andy Neanderthal is a graphic novel in b&w cartoon format, that illustrates the lives of a family of (you guessed it) Neanderthals, as seen through the eyes of two regular Neandertal kids, Lucy and Andy. The stories depict several aspects of Neandertal life: where they lived, what they ate, how they hunted, how they might have made cave art (the famous handprints that might be attributable to them), primitive medicine, clothing, interactions with our species, and so on. Each of the issues is dealt with in an semi-humorous style, with amusing cartoons.

The content is actually pretty accurate overall. I found a few points to question, such as the assertion that Neandertals could articulate as well as we can (that is still uncertain). Likewise, the cartoon figures look much more like cute Homo sapiens than like Neandertals. Meanwhile, I also learned a few things -- that Neandertals "recycled" their stone tools (chipping them again when they grew dull).

This work is an entertaining way to teach and learn about our Neandertal cousins. It is slated for kids, but enjoyable for adults as well. It also is the first in a 3-book series, so fans of Lucy and Andy can seek out two more to enjoy. ( )

Brown's enthusiasm for learning about Neanderthals evidently inspired a novel format: a fictional story of a Neanderthal group comprised of a family and a handful of unrelated people, facing the typical challenges of the time, and punctuated with interludes in which modern anthropologists discuss aspects of the chapter just finished. Brown is able to identify where he took creative license (e.g. a domesticated cat), and where the archaeological evidence is partial or missing.

The ending is remarkably open-ended, which makes perfect sense given the history of Homo sapiens / Neanderthal interaction (and more importantly, our ignorance of what precisely happened). But surprising for a graphic novel -- until I confirmed it's the start of a series. I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes, and reading aloud with W. ( )

This graphic novel was interesting. It includes a lot of facts about the Stone Age and references to present discoveries of Neanderthal people. It introduces the idea of archaeology to a young reader and gives life to the Stone Age era. I struggled with the entire book being in black and white print. The book mentions cave paintings with different natural materials. I think that color would have added a lot to the book for the readers. It would have been nice to give examples in color of the natural pigments Neanderthals created. The book was informative and I could see using it with students to discuss the Stone Age and help students make a connection through the realistic characters in the story. Lucy and Andy are just two Neanderthal kids with similar problems to ones kids now may have like sibling rivalry, crushes, parent issues and clothing. It takes the topic of the Stone Age and makes it easier to relate to for young readers. ( )

A cute comic book formated novel about a family of Neanderthals living their lives in ancient times, Lucy and Andy (the protagonists) are a brother and sister and they have the typical goals and squabbles of young kids today. The important aspect of the graphic novel is that it teaches young readers about Neanderthal life - hunting, food, making weapons, art, etc. The book is broken into episodes lasting about 7 or 8 pages each. I can see why Mr. Brown has a following among the 9 to 12 year old crowd. ( )