We are delighted to reveal the striking, powerful cover of The Cave, Victor Kelleher’s forthcoming new middle-grade novel, which we will be publishing in April 2024. The cover is the work of the wonderful illustrator Lorena Carrington, who has also created several other beautiful covers for us, including Victor’s 2022 book, Wanderer, which was shortlisted for the 2023 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.

Isn’t the cover gorgeous!

An exciting story set in a richly-recreated Paleolithic past, The Cave is both an extraordinary adventure and a moving exploration of loss, survival and courage. You can read more about the story here.

Here’s what Victor had to say about the genesis of the novel: ‘For almost as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by pre-history. In particular by the question of how our early ancestors, starting out as helpless wanderers on the plains of Africa, went on to become secure cave dwellers and greatly feared hunters. How did this great change come about? Clearly, the discovery of fire must have played a part. And so, too, the creation of better weapons and tools. But how did the change actually occur? That’s precisely the story I’ve tried to tell in The Cave. In order to do so, I’ve crammed many years of struggle and defeat into the short lives of one old woman and two young teenagers; and followed them through the seasons as they fight, not just to survive, but to turn the tables on the savage creatures that saw them only as prey. For me, there was something especially poignant about telling their story at this point in time, when we run the risk of destroying the very world they strove so hard to win.’