The Cave Explorer

The story of Marcel, his dog, and the amazing cave paintings of Lascaux - a stunningly illustrated fact-filled book for curious young readers.
Have you ever wondered what life was like long, long ago? Before there were cars, buildings, and even books, people lived in caves. They didn't have phones or computers, but they did have stories to tell.
In 1940, a boy named Marcel and his dog, Robot, discovered some of these stories. Marcel was walking with Robot near his home in France when Robot sniffed out a strange hole near a tree. Marcel and his friends were excited and rushed inside to see what treasure they could find. But the treasure they found was greater than they could've imagined: pictures on the walls of a cave, drawn by Paleolithic people who lived hundreds of thousands of years ago.
This artwork helped archaeologists understand some of what life was like long ago. But exactly why the pictures were created is a mystery, and they have made us wonder ever since. What stories did these ancient artists want to share?
Filled with beautiful illustrations by Kate Winter and fold-out pages that let you explore the cave and its secrets, this is a book that curious kids will want to read again and again.
Praise for The Fossil Hunter, winner of the 2024 Klaus Flugge Prize: 'A captivating story [...] wonderfully atmospheric' - JUNO magazine

Kate Winter currently lives in Cambridge, England. She studied a BA in Fine Art at the Slade in London and then an MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. Her MA project about the discovery of prehistoric cave painting won the 2019 Ronald Searle Award for Creativity, came runner up in the 2019 Batsford Prize and was highly commended in the 2020 V&A Student Illustration Awards. Kate's debut book, an illustrated biography of Mary Anning called The Fossil Hunter won the 2024 Klaus Flugge Prize. Kate loves history and real-life stories and wants to bring them to life for children, giving them access to explore the past through imagery and mysterious tales.