"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. (Picture book. 4-8)

Wordless save for a five-line intro, this picture book stars a prehistoric child, portrayed with pale skin and red hair, who sets out to find a new source of fire after a torrential rain douses a local cave hearth. Initially youthful confidence and competence personified, the kid trudges with a trusty spear through a windswept, predator-populated landscape. But a sudden tumble results in a hurt foot, and the protagonist realizes they’re utterly alone—until they selflessly rescue a scrawny woolly mammoth calf, and gain both a companion and a trusty steed. Rendered in soft blue and brown tones that offer a visual counterpoint to the naturalistically craggy setting, debut creator Kline’s mixed-media art exudes the sense of a fledgling world. Comics-style panels pull the reader into close connection with the determined protagonist, while bravura cinematic spreads celebrate ingenuity, kindness, and bravery against the elements and great odds. Readers will pore over these vividly imagined pages en route to its cozy, brightly lit end. Ages 4–8. Agency: Herman Agency. (Sept.)