Ivory and Bone

Gr 8 Up—Seventeen-year-old Kol is the oldest son of the High Elder of his clan, and while he and his brother are of marrying age, there are no marriageable women in their clan. The rhythm of Kol's hunter/gatherer life changes, however, when a group from the clan to the south visit to build an alliance—with two eligible unmarried women in their party. Mya, also 17, is beautiful and severe, and she and Kol begin a rocky acquaintance when she saves him from a charging saber-tooth while on a mammoth hunt. Despite his acts of gratitude, Kol cannot read or anticipate Mya's feelings, which makes his confusion about his own feelings even more complex. When Lo, a woman from the clan to the north, arrives in Kol's village with a dark intent, the plot becomes all the more complicated. Eshbaugh packs her debut with a classic love triangle, feuding clans, a well-drawn prehistoric setting, and a handful of fan fiction elements that will appeal to teens.