  | Ancestory Author: Salyer, Hannah | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
Investigates who created ancient wall art that's been discovered around the world, and why--the exact answers may be out-of-reach, but the investigation is half the fun.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (02/15/23)
School Library Journal (00/02/23)
Booklist (+) (12/01/23)
The Hornbook (00/05/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/15/2023 *Starred Review* This nonfiction picture book illuminates the wonders and splendors of prehistoric cave and rock paintings around the world. A reverence and respect shines through Salyer’s informative and graceful text: “Each handprint, marking, color, and material had a purpose. It took an enormous effort to make each piece.” There are many mysteries surrounding ancient pictographs, and this book thoughtfully considers questions of who made them, how, and why. Breathtaking illustrations created in ceramic sculpture, photography, colored pencil, charcoal, pigment, and digital media capture the beauty and power of prehistoric artwork with remarkable precision. One stunning wordless spread offers an expansive and immersive lantern-lit view of the paintings covering the walls inside Lascaux caves. The importance of protecting and preserving these “distant memories in stone of what came before us” is emphasized throughout, along with referencing and honoring Indigenous communities who “still have distant familiarity with these ancient sites and stories.” Extensive back matter offers a deeper archaeological dig into the topic, sharing print, website, and podcast resources for further investigation. With an inviting, inquisitive tone, this look at early human imagination and storytelling encourages the intrinsic drive to create: “The outlines of this shared story are old, but they are still being drawn. Even now, the story is unfolding all around you.” This luminous picture book about humanity’s shared stories is full of discoveries. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
