Afterward, Everything was Different: A Tale of the Pleistocene

(Hardback)

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Description

"Will have kids mesmerized from the get-go . . . Gorgeously illustrated . . . A stirring and thought-provoking reflection on the essential part stories play in making us human."
Kirkus STARRED Review

From the creators of Drawing Outdoors, which was praised as "full of wonder" (Kirkus STARRED Review) and a "fanciful intermingling of art, science and nature" (New York Times).

This almost wordless picture book set in the dawn of human life imagines how art and storytelling were born from the power of one young girls observation.

Once upon a time, during the Pleistocene, somewhere between two-and-a-half million and ten thousand years ago, small groups of people traveled their known world, hunting for food, seeking shelter, and slowly becoming more like the people we are today.

As far back as 40,000 years ago (and maybe even earlier) people began drawing pictures on cave walls. And a bit later, they carved images onto stones. Some pictures are of humans, usually drawn as stick figures, but most are of animals. We dont know their purpose, though in some cases, evidence seems to suggest they were used for storytelling. But when we look at these pictures, we cant help but admire the extraordinary talent of the first artists. They arent just scratches on the wall. They are great art.

In this book of few words, we follow a young girl who notices everything that happens around her as her people search for a cave to shelter for the winter. And we can believe that she feels the absolute necessity to draw what she has seen and to tell stories.

Afterward, Everything was Different features:

• Backmatter explaining what we knowand dont knowabout cave drawings.
• Stunning black and white illustrations of life during the Pleistocene.

An Aldana Libros Book, Greystone Kids

Reviews

"Fascinating. . . the truth is still there on cave walls and in all our storytimes." Booklist STARRED Review "Will have kids mesmerized from the get-go . . . Gorgeously illustrated . . . A stirring and thought-provoking reflection on the essential part stories play in making us human." Kirkus STARRED Review "Highly recommended. . . offers an interpretation of the world's first artcave drawingswhich is beautifully rendered in graphite-and-white ink by international award-winning artist, Yockteng, and which offers a tribute to the importance of art's contribution to our humanity." School Library Connection "Yockteng's graphite and ink illustrations, in shades of black and white, successfully imagine this early time period and, more importantly, tell a story about the emergence and significance of storytelling." Horn Book Praise forDrawing Outdoors by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng "A subtlereminder that education and recreation need not be mutually exclusiveexercises and that big ideas happen when you thinkoutsidethe box. A must-have for STEAM classes and for dino lovers everywhere." School Library JournalSTARRED Review "A delightful, short read with humor that young elementary students will love" Youth Services Book ReviewSTARRED Review "This inspired story about the magic of art, nature, and educators is a breath of fresh air. Booklist Full of wonder... Schoolhouse bliss. KirkusSTARRED Review "What is central to this story is the idea that no matter what school a child attends, no matter how many or few the supplies, one dedicated professional can make all the difference." Shelf Awareness

Author Bio

Jairo Buitrago (author) and Rafael Yockteng (illustrator)have collaborated on many highly acclaimed picture books, including Jimmy the Greatest!, Two White Rabbits, Walk with Me, and Lion and Mouse. They won the A la Orilla del Viento contest for the Spanish edition of Walk with Me, which was also named to IBBYs Honor List and the Kirkus Prize shortlist. Their books have also appeared on Los mejores libros del ao (Venezuelas Banco del Libro), Kirkus Best Books, the Horn Book Fanfare, and in the White Ravens Catalogue. Jairo lives in Mexico City. Rafael lives in Bogot.