This companion to This Orq. (He Cave Boy.) pits Orq and Woma against a couple of stone-age bullies. Dorq is big, strong, and mean . . . and his pet, Caba, is even worse. But when Caba smashes a giant egg on Woma, Orq is so incensed he bangs two rocks together over and over, creating a spark. Like all good scientists, Orq recognizes an important discovery when he sees it. As he raises a flaming torch triumphantly, Dorq and Caba flee. Small Orq is the inventor of fire—and is a hero to his beloved Woma. An ode to the power of standing up for oneself, this book is the perfect antidote for any child who has ever felt small.
"Even in prehistoric times, a pet is a boy's best friend and a bully, his worst enemy...There's abundant drollery in both Elliott's terse text and Nichols' mischievous pictures…Wacky and well-tuned to the preschool sense of humor."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Elliott’s halting cave-speak and Nichols’s expressive cartooning make for some very funny scenes..." —Publishers Weekly
"Rich in humor....(r)ecommended for all collections."
—School Library Journal
"Fun …Nichols’ affectionate cartoon drawings, with dynamic compositions and expressive faces, add to the humor and heart." —Booklist