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The Cave Explorer

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Book Synopsis

The story of Marcel, his dog, and the amazing cave paintings of Lascaux – a stunningly illustrated fact-filled book for curious young readers.

Have you ever wondered what life was like long, long ago? Before there were cars, buildings, and even books, people lived in caves. They didn’t have phones or computers, but they did have stories to tell.

In 1940, a boy named Marcel and his dog, Robot, discovered some of these stories. Marcel was walking with Robot near his home in France when Robot sniffed out a strange hole near a tree. Marcel and his friends were excited and rushed inside to see what treasure they could find. But the treasure they found was greater than they could’ve imagined: pictures on the walls of a cave, drawn by Paleolithic people who lived hundreds of thousands of years ago.

This artwork helped archaeologists understand some of what life was like long ago. But exactly why the pictures were created is a mystery, and they have made us wonder ever since. What stories did these ancient artists want to share?

Filled with beautiful illustrations by Kate Winter and fold-out pages that let you explore the cave and its secrets, this is a book that curious kids will want to read again and again.

Our Review Panel says...

The creator of The Fossil Hunter has struck gold again with this fantastically illustrated narrative non-fiction picture book. It tells the story of Marcel Ravidat and his dog, who discovered the Lascaux cave paintings.

The book is a masterclass in how to successfully weave story and history together – the pages are full of a mixture of narrative and timelines, glossaries and annotated images – all topped off with incredible artwork that leaves just the right amount to the imagination. In this, it reflects the brilliant way in which Winter describes the work of all those who have studied and hypothesised about the art in the Lascaux caves, having to use imagination to infer and fill the gap between what is discovered and what can only be guessed at.

The intrigue and mystery surrounding the cave paintings feels touchable in this book – children will feel like they’ve had an experience and discovered something for themselves (a high point in the book is one of the fold-out surprise spreads illustrating the moment when Marcel lights a match and he and his friends see the cave paintings for the very first time) – which is what the very best science based picture books are all about!

This is an essential classroom addition when teaching about prehistory and the Stone Age!

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The Cave Explorer

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