In this beautifully illustrated book for young readers, Patricia Lauber brings to life the Cro-Magnons of Europe -- the Ice Age hunters and gatherers who were the ancestors of modern humans. Writing with simplicity, clarity, and sophistication, she examines all aspects of their lives -- what they ate, how they hunted, what tools they made, where they lived, and what art they created. In every case, she takes care to separate known facts from theoretical conjectures, giving renders a portrait that is as accurate as it is lively.

She opens and closes the book with striking cave paintings -- of woolly rhinos, horses, bison, lions, and others -- that were a hallmark of these early people, and presents four theories about why they were created. In between, she details what we do know: the Cro-Magnon's origins in Africa and the Middle East; their push into Europe 35,000 years ago; their 5,000-year overlap with Neanderthals. Throughout, the story comes alive with well-chosen images of artifacts and artists' renditions of ancient lif. For young people fascinated by "cavemen", "Painters of the Caves" is a welcome resource.