How extraordinary that ancient ancestors call out to us from the rocks we see all around.
Prehistoric art “rocks” the world.
This book about rock and cave art around the world introduces children to masterpieces dating back millennia, allowing readers to appreciate unique specimens of ancient creativity and recognize human kinship with distant ancestors who “took the time to create.” The artwork, which relies on ceramic sculpture, photographs, colored pencil, charcoal, pigment, and digital media, teems with vivid images of paintings, drawings, and etchings. These include examples of rock art found all over the globe, with ages noted. Some are especially mesmerizing, presented as if in caves “illuminated” by lantern light, simulating flickering flames, akin to the conditions under which the art was made originally. Salyer makes intriguing points about these works as priceless repositories of history and culture. One example: Many animals depicted in rock and cave art no longer exist; examples of extinct creatures and when they died out are given. The illustrations highlight Indigenous peoples who may “still have distant familiarity with these ancient sites and stories.” The author raises questions about how and why our ancestors crafted their art: “Mapping the stars? Documenting the world around them?” Readers will also learn our forebears used all-natural materials, such as charcoal, ash, and malachite, and tools including flint, shells, and yucca stalks. Excellent explanatory backmatter concludes this fascinating book. Modern-day people are diverse; ancient people are seen in silhouette. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
How extraordinary that ancient ancestors call out to us from the rocks we see all around. (site map; a story within a story: the rediscovery of the Lascaux caves; author’s note; words to know; timeline; resources for further reading and investigation) (Informational picture book. 8-11)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 9780358469841
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
Fans of Terry Deary and Martin Brown’s Horrible Histories and their ilk are unlikely to consider this latest imitation more than an also-ran. Oliver surveys British history from the Isles’ Ice Age formation to the not-exactly-hot-off-the-presses 2005 news that London will host the 2012 Olympics. Though accurate enough in his broad picture, the author’s debatable facts (“…the Romans introduced really useful things such as toilets and even vegetables to the people of Britain”) and awkwardly written generalizations (“The Celtic kings consulted religious advisors to help them rule, known as druids”) drag the bland text down even further. Pinder's pen-and-ink illustrations attempt snark but too often fall flat: “That girl was always getting in my way,” remarks Bloody Mary as Lady Jane Grey’s newly severed head bounces by. This catalog of major British kings, queens, wars, pivotal events and cultural milestones is unlikely to entertain—much less resonate with—American audiences. (index, royal timeline) (Nonfiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-906082-72-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Buster/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Thirteen prominent American men and women are briefly profiled in this collection. Chronologically ranging from Thomas Jefferson to Barack Obama, each entry features an inspiring quote from its subject and a concise explanation of his or her context in history. Opposite each page of text is a watercolor painting by the author depicting an image or montage of the notable individual and illustrating the work they achieved or how they lived. Each one evokes the emotions the book is meant to inspire: courage, strength and determination. Franklin Roosevelt gazes reassuringly out at readers above a line of hungry people at a soup kitchen; Rachel Carson smiles at readers against a picture of a soaring bald eagle and an inset of her peering into a microscope. The selection includes four women and five male ethnic minorities. Almost all are familiar faces in collective biographies, including Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, but some names may be new to young readers, such as Emma Lazarus and Cesar Chavez. Included in the backmatter are thumbnail biographies of each figure and a list of source notes. The profiles are indeed inspiring, and younger readers will likely learn something new. For deeper research, students will have to look elsewhere but could use this book as an excellent starting point. (Collective biography. 8-11)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8225-6810-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2011
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