Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age - Hardcover

Zeltser, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1606845136 ISBN 13: 9781606845134

Publisher: EgmontUSA, 2014

Synopsis

A hilarious middle-grade novel about a misunderstood caveboy perfect for fans of Ice Age and Happy Feet.

Lug is a caveboy who would rather paint than club other caveboys. The clan even mocks him, calling him "Little Slug." Like all the other caveboys, Lug must enter the contest to become the clan's next Big Man and attempt to catch the Biggest Beast―even though he would much rather spend his days painting in his secret art cave.

When Lug is banished for failing to catch a jungle llama, he thinks he is alone in the world but finds others who believe in him: his clanmate Stony, and a new friend, Echo, a girl from a rival clan who can talk to animals and just may be prehistory's first vegetarian/animal rights activist. Together they face even bigger challenges―Lug discovers the Ice Age is coming and he has to bring the warring clans together to save them not only from the freeze but also from a particularly unpleasant migrating pride of saber-toothed tigers. It's no help that the elders are cavemen who can't seem to get the concept of climate change through their thick skulls.

With funny, anachronistic humor and charming characters, Lug, Dawn of the Ice Age is sure to be a hit with many readers.

About this title

About the Author

David Zeltser is the author of the Lug series, Ninja Baby, Stinker, and The Universe Ate My Homework. He studied physics at Harvard and was fortunate to co-author a paper with the world renowned physicist Howard Georgi. Now David writes children's books, graphic novels, and screenplays and lives with his family and many barking sea lions in Santa Cruz, California. Follow him on Twitter (@davidzeltser) and at www.davidzeltser.com.

Review

"Life as a caveboy is rough. You constantly have to prove yourself by bashing anything that moves with your club. For Lug, it's the complete opposite of who he is. Lug is an artist who would much rather paint on the walls of a cave than smash skulls with his club. In Lug's words, 'paintings don't tell you what to do, or call you names, or make you feel small or worthless.' Ultimately, the protagonist is banished from his tribe because of his lack of bravery. He meets a vegetarian animal whisperer named Echo along with his tribesman Stony, and they work together to save their fighting clans from the impending deep freeze. This book is filled with humor but also a deeper message of learning to accept who you are and not backing down from what you are passionate about. The novel lends itself to discussions of bullying and accepting differences. Readers who are unfamiliar with the Ice Age could benefit from pairing this work with informational texts on the animals and climate of the time period. A roaring addition for public and school libraries." ―School Library Journal

(Journal)

"A Stone Age comedy features a caveboy guilty of 'uncavemanlike behavior.'
The summary exile that Lug earns by failing to capture a 'jungle llama' to ride in an upcoming headstone match turns out to be a blessing in disguise, as it leads to a meeting with Hamela―a member of the rival Boar Rider clan who has turned from the customary all-dodo diet to vegetarianism. She in turn introduces him to Woolly, an errant young mammoth atop whom he goes on to lead his headstone team to victory. Lug lands in further hot water when his forbidden cave paintings are discovered―but following the arrival of snow, a pride of saber tooth tigers and more mammoths, he manages to convince at least some of his simpleminded people that big changes are coming. By the end, he even has them using fire ('storm light'). The animals all talk (except the dodos), and Lug's frog-licking proto-hippie sidekick leads a notably rock-headed supporting cast. Happily, characters speak in complete sentences and with standard syntax, and the banter is nicely snappy. Preliminary sketches indicate that suitably primitive art will accompany the story.
Fred Flintstone would feel right at home in this light-as-pumice comedy." ―Kirkus Reviews

(Journal)

Edition details

• Publisher: EgmontUSA
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1606845136
• ISBN 13: 9781606845134
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192