11,000 Years Lost

by Peni R. Griffin

Book Overview

Fascinated with the archaeological dig that is going on near her Texas home, eleven-year-old Esther magically travels back in time to the Pleistocene era and discovers first-hand how people lived at that time. Includes a list of sources and author's notes. Ages 10+.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810948222
• ISBN13: 9780810948228
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.9" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

Meet the Clovis Indians!

I liked this book because it seems so real, it's like you're there. The three characters I liked most were Ester, Ahrva, and Tekinit. They were my friends while I was reading the book. There are about 40 people in the story. I liked how the author made Ester walk through the door to the past and come upon two little girls named Ahrva and Tekinit. I also liked how the author wrote about the family moving from one place to another, and the things they did like hunt and gather food. The author described their ceremonies, how they spoke to one another, and their silly words they tried to pronounce. The things I didn't like were the deaths of four people and how the family cut themselves because they were grieving. I would have liked more suspense in the story like a scimitar cat coming into the camp site or something like that. I think there were too many hard names to pronounce. I really enjoyed this book! I wish there really was a door that made you go back in time! I would recommend that you read this book! (This review was written by my 14-yo daughter who loved this book. SRS)

Great book for children of archaeologists

I dig for Paleo-Indian remains (legally) in New Hampshire and I have dug in the Texas area where the story is set. Except that I would like to hear more about Esther's family and what happened to her after her return, I really liked this book. Esther is a tough, likeable, believeable person (and the snide tone of first professional review above is entirely unneccessary). Although it has something in common with Peter Dickinson's The Kin, it is much more accessible for younger readers. I don't know whether anything can give an accurate picture of prehistoric life, but the characters and details ring true and I hope Ms. Griffin writes more.

11,000 Years Lost, But Never Alone

I just finished reading this book. The story takes place in modern and ice age times. Esther, who is from the modern finds an clovis point and from shortly after that point she is pulled back in time to the ice age. When she arrives, she must learn to survive and survive she does thanks to her clovis family that takes her in and teaches her. She will learn to hunt all types of animal and pick the right plants, make clothes, and tools. She will do this all, yet she will come to love her family that has taken her in to become part of them. I found this to be a great read. I would recommend it to anyone of any age. Have a great read!!

A gripping story testing her survival skills

Texas history, time travel, and lessons on family trees blend in the engrossing novel by Penni R. Griffin 11,000 Years Lost. Pre-teen Ester discovers an 11,000 year old spearhead once used by mammoth hunters during an archaeological dig: an artifact when opens a time portal and lands Esther in Ice Age Texas. Adopted by a group of mammoth hunters, she must learn to survive in a very different society and find a way home simultaneous in a gripping story testing her survival skills. Two of Peni R. Griffin's previous books have been nominees for Edgar Awards and 11,000 Years Lost joins their gripping action.