Dar and the Spear-Thrower

by Marjorie Cowley

A young boy living 15,000 years ago in southeastern France is initiated into manhood by his clan and sets off on a journey to trade his valuable fire rocks for an ivory spear thrower. "A fast-paced, truly interesting coming-of-age novel based on a little-known but fascinating period of history." -- Booklist

Genres: Historical Fiction, Read For School, School, Childrens

Library Binding

First published May 23, 1994

Reviews

[♥♫ Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. It wasn't amazing, though. The ending was a little too fast. But I like this book because it has a good message, and that it has a happy ending.

[Genevieve · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great read for somebody who wants to know about ancient manhood. Which is to say, nobody. I have nothing else to say because this is a dreaded "short story."

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about a prehistoric nomadic boy that incorporates historical detail based on real artifacts, one of which is a "spear thrower", a piece of Stone Age technology that was the precursor to the bow and arrow. We have been studying the transition from nomadic to agricultural societies in ancient times and this book also provides a glimpse into the small steps that ancient people took in this direction as well. Great fodder for discussion about why the agricultural revolution was a "revolution". And my 7 year old enjoyed the story immensely, which is always a good thing.

[Audrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not really sure why this was required reading in 6th grade because it was very unremarkable: not enjoyable to read, nor did it teach you anything worth knowing, and none of the characters were interesting at all.

[Angela]

read for sixth grade social studies, no fun no fun

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very good. It gets kind of cheesey at times and is really boring1

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best novel ever written. I enjoyed it throughout and read it a second time to make sure I didn't miss any material!

[Ashley Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this book I was 9 and never forgot it. I was delighted to read this aloud to my children as part of our ancient history studies. Majorie Cowley was trained at the Fowler Museum of Cultural History at UCLA. She creates a thrilling vignette of what life in the Magdalenian culture of the Upper Paleolithic was like. A little over 100 pages, it’s quick paced and fascinating. I hope one day to visit the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale and see the spear thrower Dar’s is based on in person!

For a fun project we used a “Sunstone” and flint to start a fire just like Dar’s clan. This is an excellent book to use in elementary-middle schoolers social studies.

The next book we will be reading is The Golden Bull also by Marjorie Cowley. It’s set in the farmlands of Mesopotamia and the ancient city Ur.

[Hannah Davey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this because I'm going to teach it to my SpEd 6th grade English class this year. This will probably be the perfect reading level for them. Additionally, the chapters are very short, which is great for just great for novel studies at this age. A lot of teachers have given up on novel studies because kids don't have the ability to sustain reading something for so long and they've switched to short stories exclusively. I think it's really important to teach kids how to read novels. I think this is a perfect short read that at will let them be successful and build-up their stamina for there's stamina for the next book, "Esperanza Rising," which is significantly longer.

As far as the story itself, it's simple and the pacing is adequate. There are spots that seemed rushed, but I think it's fine for middle school.

[Verfwa Vadfs · Rating 1 out of 5]

We had to read this in 6th grade, and it was widely regarded as the worst book we'd ever seen. Is there a way to give it zero stars?

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book that gives kids a look into what life was like 15,000 years ago.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dar and the Spear-Thrower is more than just a fictional coming of age story. Through this book students learn about the last ice-age that took place in France. Dar is a 13 year old boy who is about to become a man, "he hopes". He has been raised by his grandmother and uncle. His father was killed by a large cat and his mother died shortly after giving birth. His uncle feels he failed his brother because he was unable to save him. He did not want the responsibity of raising Dar. Dar has a passion for carving, which his uncle thinks is useless. When Dar's uncle is injured and he must empty his traps, he finds a stranger in their territory. The stranger has a beautifully carved spear-thrower. He sees Dar's sun-stones (used to start fires) and wants to trade. When Dar tells his uncle his uncle considers him a fool for even considering the trade.

After the initiation ceremony, Dar decides to seek out the stranger and trade his sun-stones for the spear-thrower. This journey is about more than the trade. This is a journey where Dar learns about his clan, himself and the strength he posesses inside. This is one of our required novels and I can say that most of my students really like it. The one thing I enjoyed was learning that the story was based on actual historical artifacts. I discovered the sunstones were actually iron pirite. Of course I didn't know what iron pirite was and learned it was fools gold. An interesting read that I would recommend to middle grade kids

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me and my class (humanities) read this book to learn how to summarize the text, chapters and the whole book!
The book is about a boy named Dar. He had an uncle and he was very strict with dar. Dar becomes a man by getting a manmark in the sacred cave. Right after he goes to another camp to trade his sunstone(rock to make fire easy) for a spear thrower(a carved and made out of antler to make the spear go longer). He gets to the camp after several difficulties and trades with the man. The man trains him to use the spear thrower and then takes him on a test to see if he can use it properly. The test was getting musk oxens for the clan to eat. After many days Dar starts the trip returning to home, he stops many times making fires, eating and sleeping until his uncle found him. His uncle was very mad at Dar because he left his clan without permission. He and Dar slept that night. The next morning Dar showed his uncle the spear thrower. His uncle was impressed. After they gathered their belongings and left to go to the clan.

[Yuika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dar and the spear thrower is historical fiction written by Marjorie Cowley. I recommend this book to the people who like history.
Dar is the main character, and he is the young boy but in the past, when they grow up to 13 years, they had to be a man. To be a man, they had to be able to hunt the animals very well to eat them to be alive. But there were a lot of hard things to do...

I learned lots of things about how it is so hard to be a man and hunting. So maybe you can enjoy this book with learning how Dar grew up.

However, people who are not interested in history might be not able to have fun with this book and also this book has part of disgusting so some people might be not feeling good.

I recommend this book to the people who are interested in about history or wanna learn about history.

[Danny]

Dar and the Spear Thrower by Majorie Cowley is a Historical fiction book that has one of the best moments. When you walk up to the book it won't look as half as good as you would think, after you read the book. Dar the main character, is in a clan that sets back 15,000 years ago in a territory that's known now as france. His clan has a key ingredient that allows their group to create Fire, Sunstones.

He thinks he gets into a deal with this stranger. His sunstone for the strangers "Spear Thrower." I think that this book really moves you with the book. I read it as a bookclub in my humanities class but this book can also be a good read to read every night right before you sleep. It definetely got me moving throughout the whole book

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes place during the stone ages. It's about a young boy who is soon going to go to his very own initiation ceremony that will take place in only weeks. After the ceremony he has his manmarks which means he is able to defend his tribe with the older men in his tribe. But no one believes he'll ever be ready. Little does he know that the man marks dont make him a man. They just encourage him. He goes on his first journey and meets Toreg (the spear thrower) who shows hime new weapons and takes him to his tribe. Dar hopes that when he gets back from his journey he'll be considered a grown up.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great read for younger kids - fourth or fifth grade. It's a coming-of-age story set during the last Ice Age in Europe. Dar is afraid of his initiation ceremony and sets off on a journey to find himself, and in the process, finds much more.

I loved this quote: "Adulthood doesn't come with the initiation. The ceremony is only a signal that you're ready to begin to earn it." Unfortunately for me, I think that I've only begun to earn it . . . at 49 years of age!

[Saya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book used by my school humanities class. When I read first time, I thought that I can't read this book because I am not good at English, and this book is so many difficult word to understand for me. But, I can read it. This book is so interesting and unique book. This story from homo time, main character is maybe 12 years old boy( I forgot his old!). He can't do anything to survive these environment, but he grow up little by little. Finally, he became good man! Read it!

[You Jin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about 5000,~6million years ago the old people life. I don't like History books. But this book is so fun. And I know they use fire and make tools. It's funny historical fiction book! Dar is very brave. He's scary about go to other clan. But he did and now his adult. This is my first book that I finish(English book), when I come to Thailand second time.

[catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a very boring book i mean some people might find it interesting but I'm not a person that prefers to read this type of book. I had to read this for my English class and truly it isn't a book that would want to ever read again. Don't take this personally but I'm just not that big of a fan of this book Sry Byeeeeeeee:(

[Lynne Radcliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book with my grandson. Well written coming of age story of Dar a boy living 15,000 years ago in France. Excellent story to use with Middle School students to teach them about this time in history.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit plain, but cool and interesting.

[Timmybulldog · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good book

[Nika Kunwar]

I thought this book was ok... we had to read it for school and do a project on it. I was actually pretty intersting!

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so stupid. Completely pointless and I could have written better lit than this. A pointless, unoriginal plot that doesn't have much really going on, is boring, and is SUPER predictable.

[Rayven Cure · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will go perfectly with common core standards and history social science as well!

[Zion Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story about the main character Dar has sunstone for make fire and some stranger want to trade that and Dar get spear thrower and he practice that for hunt other animals.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not good and not bad at the same time

[P · Rating 3 out of 5]

enh

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the Paleo Book Club for 4th grade.