Informational book about the ancestry of cave paintings and who made them. What they were made of, what was used to create them. How long did it take, more than one person. Why were they made. Talks about cave art and all the kinds of things that I had previously mentioned.

2nd/3rd grade and up?

Upper elementary level picture book on ancient cave art, no plot. Lots of good facts about specific historical sites and how the art was created. Great end of book resources on historical context as well. The final message is that art tells a story and that we can continue telling stories through our own art. A great resource for talking about ancient art or art history. ( )

The pictures were absolutely phenomenal and I thought that it did a great job of connecting the past to the present. It gave great insight and context into cave drawings and the life of our ancestors. There are a lot of research and information that readers can dig into, which I love. As a Christian who does not believe in the theory of evolution and the millions of years timeline of the earth, I would not present this as a piece of literature, as it deviates from the Biblical perspective in some of its information. Otherwise, I enjoyed and would recommend this book. ( )

This amazing creative nonfiction picture book blends luscious art with informative, lyrical prose to show the story of our ancestors through the cave and rock art they painted and chipped into stone. The black and white two-page spread illustration with "OUR ANCESTORS" is particularly stunning for its dreamy imagery. Salyer also illluminates the minerals and tools used to paint and draws samples of art from Africa to Europe to North America to Australia to Asia. Most telling, she emphasizes the value and wonder of creativity: "The lives of our ancestors were filled with difficulties and danger. They worked hard to survive. And yet, for thousands of years and despite their struggles ... THEY TOOK THE TIME TO CREATE." There is much more that is wondrous, but I don't want to give it away. Backmatter includes a Site Map of selected rock art sites around the world, A Story Within a Story: the Rediscovery of the Lascaux Caves, Author's Note, Words to Know, Timeline, and Resources for Further Reading and Investigation. Highly recommended for both school and public libraries! ( )