Boy Here, Boy There
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
To a young Neanderthal boy, the world is full of incredible adventures — and unexpected encounters, when he meets a human boy for the first time in this stunning, sparsely worded picture book.
A prehistoric Neanderthal family arrives at their new home, a cave, after a long journey. But their young boy's imagination is seized by the beauty and promise of the valley below, and he sets out to explore all that the valley has to offer along, with his place in it. This wild, prehistoric world is full of beauty and wonder, including big and little "hairies" (woolly mammoths). But across a river, the boy spots another boy, a Homo sapiens. He's dressed differently, but so much else is the same. The two share a moment of recognition before the stranger and his family depart, leaving a lasting impression on the Neanderthal boy — one that will have effects reaching throughout history.
This picture book, sparingly written and expansively illustrated, imagines an encounter between Homo sapiens and our Neanderthal cousins based on the expanding understanding of prehistoric peoples. It will inspire young readers to see the beauty in discovery and the natural wonders of the prehistoric world as well as our shared humanity.
Includes back matter with information about prehistoric life and Neanderthals as well as a bibliography.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
As outlined in an author's note, Groenink (Mum, Me, and the Mulberry Tree) creates a story about a connective moment in human prehistory: contact between Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. In opening pages, a small band of animal-skin-wearing Neanderthals, portrayed with light brown skin, arrive at a cave above a river valley. While most rest, a boy yearns to explore, this desire conveyed expressively through large, questioning eyes. Wildlife appears at comparative scales as the child ventures down to the river ("Trees big,/ boy small.// Boy big,/ crawler small"), and the text touches on species similarities (around a bear, "Berries for big growler,// berries for boy"). Arriving at the river, the child sees another boy, shown with dark brown skin, kneeling on the sand bank. The two stare at each other, their features mirrored ("Eyes here,/ nose, mouth there"). Then, with a wave, the second child and his Homo sapiens cohort disappear into tall grass. That night, back at the cave, the Neanderthal youth commemorates the wave with a tangible memorial. It's a contemplative telling that seeds rich conversations about connection across species and time, and about what it means to make art. Ages 3–7.
