This Orq.: (He Cave Boy.)

Even cave boys get the blues, and Orq is living proof. The reason for his sadness? Mother isn't a fan of Orq's beloved woolly mammoth, Woma. In succinct Paleolithic "prose" (think Brendan Fraser in Encino Man), the mammoth's sins are laid out: "Woma shed. Woma smell. Woma not house-trained." Thus Orq concocts a plot to "teach Woma tricks" so "Mother love Woma." But even the best-laid plans of mammoths and cavemen often go awry, as well-meaning Woma proves difficult to domesticate, failing to get on Mother's good side. However, when Orq nearly becomes a meal for a saber-toothed tiger, Woma saves the day and -- finally -- wins Mother's heart. Elliott's brief text gives illustrator Nichols plenty of room to maneuver. In the sequence showing Woma growing larger, Nichols creates a humorous visual subplot as Orq's bird friend finds it increasingly difficult to access her nest (the mammoth has grown so big that he blocks the opening). As Orq nearly falls prey to the sabertooth, the illustrative pacing unfortunately becomes a bit jerky and somewhat confusing, leaving the too-short text to do the heavy lifting. This issue notwithstanding, the silly tale of unconditional love between a cave boy and his pet mammoth is a story for the (stone) ages. sam bloom