Review by Booklist Review
With nice green grass and big comfy rocks, caveman Dave's abode a cave, naturally seems perfect. However, thoughts of a better cave with greener grass and bigger rocks are keeping Dave awake at night, so he goes cave hunting. The caves he finds are either too small, too large, or inhabited by something unpleasant (bats, a saber-toothed tiger, another caveman). Eventually, he does find a perfect cave; it just happens to be the one he had previously abandoned. While the digital illustrations are appropriately spare and don't show much action Dave doesn't move much, but his face is highly expressive they clearly demonstrate why the search for a better cave is unsuccessful. Anachronistic drawings on the walls and activities, such as roasting marshmallows, add extra touches of humor. Written in caveman language (This Dave. This Dave's cave), the playful text is bare-bones enough for beginning readers. Dave's cave story provides a droll glimpse at one of life's many lessons.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Dave the caveman has a cozy cave that both he and his friends enjoy. Dave decides one day that maybe there is a bigger and better cave out there for him. So, he sets on his quest to find a new home, ultimately learning that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Readers will love this simple yet humorous story. The text is written as if it were narrated by a caveman: "This Dave. This Dave's Cave," so it may not be best for students just learning to read. However, this would be a terrific read-aloud for children. The illustrations are done in various media with bold colors and patterns. Since cavemen have a limited vocabulary, the pictures help bring the story to life by providing vivid details. VERDICT A fun story best used as a read-aloud to give readers a comical example of appreciating what they already have.-Jennifer Bludau, La Grange Independent School District, TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The grass has been greener on the other side for millenniajust ask our prehistoric friend Dave.Dave lives in a cave decorated with realistic wall paintings, there's green grass outside, and his woodland friendsa bird and a squirrelenjoy spending time at his prehistoric bachelor pad. Yet even with all of his comforts, Dave is worried that he may be missing out on a bigger and better cave. It's this fear that drives Dave out to find a better home and leads readers to question if the grass really is greener on the other side. While readers ponder the existential gravitas of this inquiry, they'll follow Dave as he travels from caves that are too small, too big, etc. Unsurprisingly, the cave that Dave ultimately ends up in is very familiar. The message of the book is strong, but the writing weakens the point through irregular cavemanspeak that includes words such as "quite" and "cozy" but misses basic verbs. Adults reading the book aloud will quickly tire of the narrative style. The digitally created illustrations are done in the collage style but lack the energy and whimsy of the medium. Dave's pale skin tone and mop of green hair are roughly styled in The Flintstones school, but he is far more inscrutable than Fred or Barney ever were; his facial expressions do not easily reflect the emotional responses of his situations.Overall, merely adequate. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
