Imagine you were born before the invention of drawing, more than thirty thousand years ago.

You would live with your whole family in a cave and see woolly mammoths walk by!

You might even see images of animals hidden in the shapes of clouds and rocks.

You would want to share these pictures with your family, but wouldn't know how.

Who would have made the world's first drawing? Would it have been you?

In The First Drawing, Caldecott Medal winner Mordicai Gerstein imagines the discovery of drawing...and inspires the young dreamers and artists of today.

A Caldecott-winning illustrator's inspiring and imaginative story about the invention of drawing, told through the eyes of an 8-year-old boy.

About the Author
Mordicai Gerstein is the acclaimed author and illustrator of more than forty books, many of which he also wrote. His books are frequently awarded ALA Notable status, and he is the three-time recipient of a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year honor. In 2004, Mordicai was awarded the Caldecott Medal for The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. Mordicai lives in western Massachusetts.

Reviews
*"In this compelling picture book, Gerstein invites children to travel back in time more than 30,000 years to a cave in what is now southern France....Gerstein's illustrations of rocks, clouds, and shadows cleverly conceal animal shapes that both readers and the protagonist are compelled to discover." - School Library Journal, starred review

*"Gerstein's mixed-media spreads feature a mostly blue and brown palette, and thin, rainbow-hued brushstrokes add texture and vividness....Artists see the world differently, but Gerstein suggests their true gift lies in allowing others to share in their visions." - Publishers Weekly, starred review

Gerstein's acrylic, pen-and-ink and colored-pencil mixed-media illustrations create depth and a sense of the past, as well as imparting liveliness and possibility...Solid storytelling, satisfying narrative circularity, and masterful, creative illustrations make this an inspiring story for young artists. - Kirkus

The line, acrylic, and colored-pencil art, which fills up each spread, has the buoyant feeling of discovery and is clever in the way it turns imaginings into pictures. A way to think about the start of art. - Booklist


Awards
Winner of Massachusetts Book Award (MassBook) (Children/Young Adult) 2014. Commended for Parents Choice Awards (Fall) (2008-Up) (Picture Book) 2013. Short-listed for Red Clover Award 2015 and Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award 2015.



Book Information
ISBN 9780316204781
Author Mordicai Gerstein
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Little, Brown Young Readers
Publisher Little, Brown & Company
Weight(grams) 456g
Dimensions(mm) 284mm * 222mm * 18mm