Afterward, Everything Was Different - (Aldana Libros) by Jairo Buitrago (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This almost wordless picture book set in the dawn of human life imagines how art and storytelling were born from the power of one young girl's observation. Once upon a time, during the Pleistocene, somewhere between two-and-a-half million and ten thousand years ago, small groups of people traveled their known world, hunting for food, seeking shelter, and slowly becoming more like the people we are today. As far back as 40,000 years ago (and maybe even earlier) people began drawing pictures on cave walls. And a bit later, they carved images onto stones. Some pictures are of humans, usually drawn as stick figures, but most are of animals. We don't know their purpose, though in some cases, evidence seems to suggest they were used for storytelling. But when we look at these pictures, we can't help but admire the extraordinary talent of the first artists. They aren't just scratches on the wall. They are great art. In this book of few words, we follow a young girl who notices everything that happens around her as her people search for a cave to shelter for the winter. And we can believe that she feels the absolute necessity to draw what she has seen and to tell stories."--

Book Synopsis

STARRED Reviews in Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Shelf Awareness

A Best Book of the Year--Kirkus, The Times of London

This "beautifully illustrated, nearly wordless book" (New York Times) set in the dawn of human life imagines how art and storytelling were born from the power of one young girl's observation.

Once upon a time, during the Pleistocene, somewhere between two-and-a-half million and ten thousand years ago, small groups of people traveled their known world, hunting for food, seeking shelter, and slowly becoming more like the people we are today.

As far back as 40,000 years ago (and maybe even earlier) people began drawing pictures on cave walls. And a bit later, they carved images onto stones. Some pictures are of humans, usually drawn as stick figures, but most are of animals. We don't know their purpose, though in some cases, evidence seems to suggest they were used for storytelling. But when we look at these pictures, we can't help but admire the extraordinary talent of the first artists. They aren't just scratches on the wall. They are great art.

In this book of few words, we follow a young girl who notices everything that happens around her as her people search for a cave to shelter for the winter. And we can believe that she feels the absolute necessity to draw what she has seen and to tell stories.

Afterward, Everything was Different features:

• Backmatter explaining what we know--and don't know--about cave drawings.
• Stunning black and white illustrations of life during the Pleistocene.

An Aldana Libros Book, Greystone Kids

Review Quotes

"In this ... gorgeously drawn mostly wordless picture book, a hunter and gatherer family of the Pleistocene is traveling through the seasons, harsh landscapes, and realistic representations of the magnificent beasts of the period."
--School Library Journal

"An epic wordless tale... I could read this again and again and notice something new with each read. Wholly, utterly engaging and original."
--School Library Journal

"Deeply inspiring. . . A moving tribute to the power of art through the ages."
--Shelf Awareness STARRED Review

"A group of pre-historic hunter-gatherers meanders through the pages of this beautifully illustrated, nearly wordless book."
--New York Times

"Immersive sequencing throughout. . . provides page-turning drama in this absorbing portrait of Pleistocene perils."
--Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating. . . the truth is still there on cave walls and in all our storytimes."
--Booklist STARRED Review

"Will have kids mesmerized from the get-go . . . Gorgeously illustrated . . . A stirring and thought-provoking reflection on the essential part stories play in making us human."
--Kirkus STARRED Review

"Highly recommended. . . offers an interpretation of the world's first art--cave drawings--which is beautifully rendered in graphite-and-white ink by international award-winning artist, Yockteng, and which offers a tribute to the importance of art's contribution to our humanity."
--School Library Connection

"Yockteng's graphite and ink illustrations, in shades of black and white, successfully imagine this early time period and, more importantly, tell a story about the emergence and significance of storytelling."
--Horn Book

"Breathtaking... Rafael Yockteng, author, and Jairo Buitrago, illustrator have created a story with next to no words... Yet the story is full of words, all of them unspoken until we open it, we read the illustrations, we tell the story... There is no end to the stories this book can tell, as a whole or page-by-page... This is a masterpiece which makes everything different."
--Armadillo magazine

"A thrilling exploration of the Pleistocene era is told without words in this monochrome picture book which follows the trials and tribulations of a young girl and her family as they seek refuge from the bleak and perilous winter."
--WRD magazine

Praise for Drawing Outdoors by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

"A subtle reminder that education and recreation need not be mutually exclusive exercises and that big ideas happen when you think outside the box. A must-have for STEAM classes and for dino lovers everywhere."
--School Library Journal STARRED Review

"A delightful, short read with humor that young elementary students will love"
--Youth Services Book Review STARRED Review

"This inspired story about the magic of art, nature, and educators is a breath of fresh air."
--Booklist

"Full of wonder... Schoolhouse bliss."
--Kirkus STARRED Review

"What is central to this story is the idea that no matter what school a child attends, no matter how many or few the supplies, one dedicated professional can make all the difference."
--Shelf Awareness

About the Author

Jairo Buitrago (author) and Rafael Yockteng (illustrator)have collaborated on many highly acclaimed picture books, including Jimmy the Greatest!, Two White Rabbits, Walk with Me, and Lion and Mouse. They won the A la Orilla del Viento contest for the Spanish edition of Walk with Me, which was also named to IBBY's Honor List and the Kirkus Prize shortlist. Their books have also appeared on Los mejores libros del año (Venezuela's Banco del Libro), Kirkus Best Books, the Horn Book Fanfare, and in the White Ravens Catalogue. Jairo lives in Mexico City. Rafael lives in Bogotá.