Caveboy Dave: More Scrawny than Brawny by Aaron Reynolds (review)

His grandpa invented fire and his dad invented the wheel, so Dave’s got a lot to live up to. To prove his worth, he heads off with the other twelve-year-olds to hunt one of many prehistoric beasts that can provide the village with meat, should the kids last in the wild long enough to kill one. Dave’s mind isn’t on this task, however, as he’s always daydreaming about ways to not just survive but improve his life. While creating underwear meant relief for his best friend’s itchy nether parts, the product was ultimately a flop, as was the invention of a fork, but he’s sure that if he sticks with it, Dave can make his inventing mark in his tribe. This graphic novel is outlandishly funny, with poop jokes (a whole story thread is based on following a fecal trail) mixing gracefully with more subtle humor. The illustrations, intentionally primitive and colored using rich, primordial shades, support the caveman theme. It’s a surprisingly—even ahistorically—diverse little group of villagers, but the anachronism is in good cause, and it’s a graphic novel where underwear (very dirty, no less) saves the day when used as a slingshot against a Stabby Cat (they haven’t quite gotten the naming down yet, as this is clearly a saber-tooth tiger), so the facts aren’t really the big issue. Fans will be thrilled to see that this is clearly a set-up novel for a new series, and it’s obvious Dave has lots more ideas for how he can change the hearts and minds of his fellow cave people with his amazing creations.