Synopsis
Quennu is afraid of only one thing in her prehistoric world -- cave bears. When she is separated from her family and clan on a journey to the magical caverns where art is made, she must find her way alone. In the dark passages of the cave, the young girl's imagination takes over. In order to reunite with the rest of her clan, Quennu is faced with only one option -- she must face her fear.
In this provocative and imaginative story, Marie Day takes young readers on a magical journey through time. As one of prehistory's first artists, the character of Quennu embodies a subtle exploration of art, reality, and magic. Brave and thoughtful, she is the perfect young heroine.
Children's Literature
Quennu is greatly impressed by the Shaman's gory tales of the great cave bear. When her clan treks to a distant cave to perform rituals, she won't go without her bear tooth charm, and in losing the charm she also loses her family within the cave. A great cave bear menaces her-or is it only her imagination? Reunited with her people, Quennu celebrates her adventure by painting a wonderfully ferocious bear on the cave wall. Canadian Day's story and her bright, impressionistic illustrations vividly conjure up the world of prehistoric peoples for today's youngsters.