I’ve just watched a film which I have never seen before but bought a tear to my eye and compelled and engaged me with its storyline despite very little happening in it. The film is Alpha, directed by Albert Hughes and released in 2018. I’d not heard of it before but was glad to have watched it. It moved me and left me thinking.
One of the things I thought was that there are several books which would make great accompanying films to this. Hatchett by Gary Paulsen is the first book that sprang to mind. I read this a long time ago when I was looking for books to recommend to reluctant teenage boys. It has stayed with me ever since. As a story of survival it is immersive, but it is also an emotional challenge giving an insight into the teenage boy’s mind as he struggles to survive in the harsh sub-Arctic environment after a plane crash. I love this book and would recommend it to anyone 12 and above.
The next one I thought of is a much more recent publication though set in the Stone Age, Tanya Landman’s Horse Boy. This is the story of a boy who, like the boy in Alpha, is separated from his clan and has to learn to survive alone. He befriends a horse, something that no clan member has ever done before, and for which he knows he would be treated with suspicion by his own and other clans. This too is a compelling read though the tale of survival is set in a more ancient time than that of Hatchett. The focus is very much on the traditions and lifestyle of the clans and the gradually acceptance of change amongst Hunter-Gatherer tribes, combined with the developing mutual trust between Horse Boy and his horse. This too made me pause and think after reading. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes unusual, thoughtful reads about survival in the wild. It has less challenging emotional content than Hatchett so could be read and enjoyed by younger readers (10+)
Then thinking of Horse Boy reminded me of a series set in the Stone Age period of history which has been ongoing for several titles in the series without failing to engage and provide new content for the characters and plot. Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver studies the relationship of a boy who is separated from his family and builds a relationship with a wolf while pursuing a mission to avenge his fathers death. While there are strong elements of survival in this story there is a also a recurring theme of the supernatural and the spirit world woven into the plot. The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series consists of 8 titles in total, the most recent having just been published: Skin Taker. I have not yet read Skin Taker but I have enjoyed the other stories in this epic series set in the Stone Age, and found the supernatural aspect slightly unsettling yet believable. Definitely a series I would recommend for fans of historical fiction and plots driven stories with an overarching plot (11+).
So there you have it, three titles inspired by a brief yet moving short film about a Stone Age boy and his relationship with a rescued wolf. Teachers are often looking for accompanying quality texts with rich vocabulary to use with the Stone Age topic in the Primary curriculum. The obvious choice is the modern classic Stig of the Dump by Clive King. But many of the cultural references and home life of Barney may seem quite dated and old fashioned for the current generation. The alternative is Sophie Kirtley’s The Wild Way Home which is a kind of time-slip story with elements of family discord and vulnerability that reminded me of David Almond’s Skellig. An interesting but not really suitable read for the usual year 3 classes of 7 and 8 year olds who study this topic in school. My top favourite for now is Stone Age Boy by Satoshi Kitamura, a simply told tale that covers all the aspects require of the year 3 curriculum in a comprehensive way with entertaining illustrations and without a overly complex plot for this age group. Perhaps it’s time for someone new to reinterpret a fiction story for 7 year olds, set in the Stone Age and tapping in to that special relationship between the clan members and the animals they lived alongside of?
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