Stories on Stone: Rock Art Images from the Ancient Ones

Now available only from UNM Press, Stories on Stone introduces young readers to the rich history and mystery of rock art in the Southwest. As a youngster growing up in the American Southwest, Jennifer Dewey became fascinated with the images she saw carved in stone years before by the area's natives. For this book, Dewey has produced original color drawings that vividly recreate the images painted and carved into rocks centuries ago. Dewey explores who the original artists were and what their rock art meant, introducing young readers to the beauty and mystery of these images and stories on stone.

Dewey begins by pointing out that rock art is a mysterious but readable record of early human history in the Southwest. The author goes on to describe how rock art images came to be chipped and etched on stone and suggests some of the likely inspiration behind the images. Throughout the book, Dewey helps readers encounter the past with respect and understanding while opening their imagination to the stories told in these ancient works of art. This striking book will appeal to anyone wanting to share the power of rock art's ability to intrigue.

"What could be a dry and difficult subject is made enjoyable in a brief, readable text surrounded by Dewey's soft monochromatic illustrations of common rock art subjects. This attractive book will provide background knowledge for families who are planning to visit the Southwest and could be used in the classroom as enrichment for a unit on ancient cultures."--Booklist

Ages 7 and up; reading level grade 6