Gr 2—5—In the mountains of South America is a cave called Cueva de las Manos, or, Cave of the Hands, made by the Tehuelche tribe who lived in the Patagonian region for thousands of years. Nearly 900 separate hands are depicted on the surface of the rock, as well as the image of one foot. The author, spellbound by the mystery and wonder of the hands, but especially of the single foot, created this fictional account of how and why they might have been created. It is the story of Auki, whose name means "little hunter," but who is deemed too young and inexperienced to accompany his father. Determined to prove his worth, he sets off early one morning to hunt a puma, but in a chance encounter with one, injures his foot in a fall. While crawling to safety, he discovers the Cave of the Hands, as well as the artist, who brusquely sends him away. Auki hobbles off, only to be pulled back by the painter's shouts of alarm because the seemingly life-size puma has cornered him. Now is Auki's real chance to prove his bravery by kicking the animal. The stunning digitally enhanced illustrations, rich in color and texture, perfectly capture the terrain, action, and emotions in a realistic manner that helps readers imagine the time and place. Teachers can use this as a good example of how a story can be developed by imagining why or how something came to be and can mine the story for Barron's abundant use of descriptive similes.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID
Barron has imagined an explanation for the Tehuelche artwork in the Patagonian "Cave of the Hands." The slight narrative tells of a boy anxious to participate in the annual hunt with his elders. He first gets into trouble, then proves his courage by helping another person. Low's expressive illustrations are suitably dramatic for Barron's tale (and sometimes portentous writing).
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