Ug, published in 2001, has all the hallmarks of a Raymond Briggs book. It is original, humorous, thoughtful, funny and a
children’s book which will appeal to adults as much as children.The
story, written in comic strip format, tells the story of Ug, Boy Genius of the
Stone Age. All Ug wants is to be comfortable, no easy feat when everything in his world is made of stone. Most of all, he wants a pair of soft trousers as his stone ones are so uncomfortable. Ug drives his family and friends to distraction with his constant searching for improvement. He
annoys his mother by
suggesting that the raw meat they eat would taste nicer if heated over fire first. He annoys her further by suggesting mammoth skin would make a more comfortable bedspread than stone; she eats the flowers he gives her He annoys the other children in the cave village by suggesting that the stone they use as a football should be replaced by something lighter, as should the tennis and cricket balls. Even Ug’s best friend questions his sanity when he attempts to invent a boat and is confused by his invention of the wheel. At the end of the story, all of Ug’s attempts at improvement have come to nothing and he remains firmly in the Stone Age; left to hope that one day things will improve.Typical of Raymond Briggs, this wonderful story of life as it might have been for a Stone Age boy is brought to life not just by the inventiveness of the story but by the superb artwork of the pictures. This is a child’s book which excels in every way.
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