The First Drawing

by Mordicai Gerstein

Key information

Author: Mordicai Gerstein

Illustrator: Mordicai Gerstein

Release Date: 2nd July 2007

Book type: Fiction, picture book, 40 pages, hardback

Star rating: ★★★★

Reader level: Young readers (4+)

Age: Year 1+

Overview

This is a lovely picture book about how Mordicai Gerstein pictures the first drawing in history being created. He involves the reader from the very start of the book, asking them to imagine that they are the protagonist. 

The storyline is sweet and simple, following the brilliant imagination of a young child who  sees wonderful things in the most normal places - mammoths in the clouds, horses on cave walls - but cannot get the others to see what they see. The child comes face to face with a real wooly mammoth as must share his experiences with the rest of his family, so he grabs a piece of firewood, begins to make marks on the cave wall and voila, the first drawing is made! 

The author's note at the end of the book shares some brilliant and fascinating facts about the drawings found in a cave in southern France which were dated at more than 30,000 years old. He explains how this became the inspiration for this picture book and even how he created the illustrations to reflect the original discovery. 

A brilliant way to introduce children to the fact that drawing hasn't always existed and how to tap into their own creativity. 

Sneak peak illustrations! 

Vocabulary