FINDING FIRE

“Long before the secrets of fire / had been discovered, people had to find fire. / And if they lost it… / if it went out… / someone would need to search for more.”

So begins this wordless picture book. The page turns to a carefully rendered multigenerational group of light-skinned cave people whose fire has been extinguished by rain. This event causes an argument about who, presumably, will be the one to bring back more fire. A red-haired, light-skinned child volunteers and sets off on a quest. Rugged, sparse mountains and outcroppings, white-capped rivers, weather, and saber-toothed predators all present varied challenges for the child in the lush, earth-toned illustrations, rendered in graphite, ink, oil paint, and digital techniques. Limping through the changing scenery on an injured foot, the child encounters and teams up with a similarly imperiled mastodon calf. Luck strikes, and they succeed in finding fire. A long, treacherous journey back to the cave ends on a high note, with the entire community—now including one mastodon companion—warm and dry around a roaring hearth. This is a simple but heartwarming story told through a well-balanced variety of panels and full double spreads. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A prehistoric premise best enjoyed cozied up next to a warm, safe fireplace.