Maria and the Cave Paintings

The incredible true story of how a child discovered ancient cave paintings—and changed history forever.

The Cave of Altamira in Spain had been abandoned for thousands and thousands of years. . . . Until a man named Marcelino and his curious daughter Maria went exploring. “Papa, oxen!” Maria reportedly cried, directing her father to look at the cave's ceiling. Above, they saw images of bison galloping, bellowing, and charging. And in that moment, our understanding of history underwent a seismic shift.  

In this moving testament to the creativity of the human spirit, Barbara Lowell unites art, science, and history to tell the true story of a young girl who had the idea to look up. Elke Boschinger’s kid-friendly art infuses this father-daughter story with love, wonder, and a touch of ancient mystery. 

Back matter includes information about cave paintings around the world, how scientists study and preserve cave paintings, a bibliography, and much more.Barbara Lowell is the author of several nonfiction books for young readers. My Mastodon won the Oklahoma Book Award and received a starred review from Kirkus. She is a member of SCBWI, the Writing Barn’s Courage to Create, and the 12x12 Challenge. She lives in Oklahoma.

Elke Boschinger is a mixed-media illustrator based in the UK. She’s illustrated Bartie Bristle by Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch and When a Tree Falls by Kirsten Pendreigh. When she’s not illustrating, she enjoys playing with her cat Momo, taking long walks in the forest, and reading.