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UG: Boy Genius of the Stone Age and His Search for Soft Trousers: A funny, comic strip stone-age story
Ug and his parents live in the Stone Age. And that means stone blankets, stone cold food, an even colder cave and, worst of all, hard stone trousers! Being an inquisitive and intelligent child, Ug suggests a series of modifications to improve the quality of family life. His ideas about heating, cooking, boats, and balls that actually bounce are initially met with a hostile reaction. But with the help of his father, who slowly comes round to his son's way of thinking, Ug comes tantalisingly close to his ultimate garment goal . . .
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
11 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Raymond Briggs
167 books243 followersRaymond Redvers Briggs was an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and author who had achieved critical and popular success among adults and children. He was best known for his story "The Snowman", which is shown every Christmas on British television in cartoon form and on the stage as a musical.
His first three major works, Father Christmas, Father Christmas Goes on Holiday (both featuring a curmudgeonly Father Christmas who complains incessantly about the "blooming snow"), and Fungus the Bogeyman, were in the form of comics rather than the typical children's-book format of separate text and illustrations. The Snowman (1978) was entirely wordless, and illustrated with only pencil crayons. The Snowman became Briggs' best-known work when in 1982 it was made into an Oscar nominated animated cartoon, that has been shown every year since on British television.
Briggs continued to work in a similar format, but with more adult content, in Gentleman Jim (1980), a sombre look at the working class trials of Jim and Hilda Bloggs, closely based on his parents. When the Wind Blows (1982) confronted the trusting, optimistic Bloggs couple with the horror of nuclear war, and was praised in the British House of Commons for its timeliness and originality. The topic was inspired after Briggs watched a Panorama documentary on nuclear contingency planning, and the dense format of the page was inspired by a Swiss publisher's miniature version of Father Christmas. This book was turned into a two-handed radio play with Peter Sallis in the male lead role, and subsequently an animated film, featuring John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft. The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman (1984) was a scathing denunciation of the Falklands War. However, Briggs continued to produce humour for children, in works such as the Unlucky Wally series and The Bear.
He was recognized as The Children's Author of the Year in 1993 by the British Book Awards. His graphic novel Ethel and Ernest, which portrayed his parents' 41-year marriage, won Best Illustrated Book in the 1999 British Book Awards.
His first three major works, Father Christmas, Father Christmas Goes on Holiday (both featuring a curmudgeonly Father Christmas who complains incessantly about the "blooming snow"), and Fungus the Bogeyman, were in the form of comics rather than the typical children's-book format of separate text and illustrations. The Snowman (1978) was entirely wordless, and illustrated with only pencil crayons. The Snowman became Briggs' best-known work when in 1982 it was made into an Oscar nominated animated cartoon, that has been shown every year since on British television.
Briggs continued to work in a similar format, but with more adult content, in Gentleman Jim (1980), a sombre look at the working class trials of Jim and Hilda Bloggs, closely based on his parents. When the Wind Blows (1982) confronted the trusting, optimistic Bloggs couple with the horror of nuclear war, and was praised in the British House of Commons for its timeliness and originality. The topic was inspired after Briggs watched a Panorama documentary on nuclear contingency planning, and the dense format of the page was inspired by a Swiss publisher's miniature version of Father Christmas. This book was turned into a two-handed radio play with Peter Sallis in the male lead role, and subsequently an animated film, featuring John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft. The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman (1984) was a scathing denunciation of the Falklands War. However, Briggs continued to produce humour for children, in works such as the Unlucky Wally series and The Bear.
He was recognized as The Children's Author of the Year in 1993 by the British Book Awards. His graphic novel Ethel and Ernest, which portrayed his parents' 41-year marriage, won Best Illustrated Book in the 1999 British Book Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 26, 2019
Perhaps you know Briggs' wordless picture book The Snowman? Well, thanks to Rosemary, I read this sort of picture book reflection on the nature of curiosity, imagination, and invention set in The Stone Age, where people mainly live a stone-centric life; they wear stone clothes, play with stone, and so on. But one boy, Ug, wonders why he has to wear carved stone pants and why not soft trousers? And why not heat the food? Why not a boat with materials lighter than stone (which as you imagine, works out so well!). Why only live in caves?
The Stone Age shifts to the Ice Age; how to prepare for that change? And as the planet heats up in the Anthropocene, how do we change our habits and ask how we could live better with our environment?
The Stone Age shifts to the Ice Age; how to prepare for that change? And as the planet heats up in the Anthropocene, how do we change our habits and ask how we could live better with our environment?
June 29, 2016
Generation Conflict in the Stone Age
This comic book is about a Stone Age Family that not only lives in a cave but also wears stone pants and sleeps under stone blankets, because... well, that’s just how things are done: “This is why nowadays is called the Stone Age... [footnote: No one living in the Stone Age would know he was living in the Stone Age. He would believe he was living in the Modern Age. Today we believe we are living in the Modern Age. Time will tell.]”
Stone pants and blankets are a bit on the uncomfortable side, so curious Son Ug wonders: “Why can’t trousers be made of something else? Something softer...” Dad is not amused: “SOFTER! Look, there's nothing in the world except mud, bushes and stones, so take your pick - what do you want? Trousers made of mud? Trousers made of bushes?” It’s pretty funny - and it’s by Raymond Briggs, so you know it’s clever and beautiful, too. Recommended!
This comic book is about a Stone Age Family that not only lives in a cave but also wears stone pants and sleeps under stone blankets, because... well, that’s just how things are done: “This is why nowadays is called the Stone Age... [footnote: No one living in the Stone Age would know he was living in the Stone Age. He would believe he was living in the Modern Age. Today we believe we are living in the Modern Age. Time will tell.]”
Stone pants and blankets are a bit on the uncomfortable side, so curious Son Ug wonders: “Why can’t trousers be made of something else? Something softer...” Dad is not amused: “SOFTER! Look, there's nothing in the world except mud, bushes and stones, so take your pick - what do you want? Trousers made of mud? Trousers made of bushes?” It’s pretty funny - and it’s by Raymond Briggs, so you know it’s clever and beautiful, too. Recommended!
August 14, 2019
I loved this book! It just arrived in the post today and I had to read it immediately. The drawings, as always with Raymond Briggs, are lovely. The stone age furniture and clothing is (barely) serviceable and clearly pre-Flintstone. Ug has big ideas about how to change things for the better - but his mother hates any thoughts of change: this is the way we have always done it, this is the way we will always continue to do it. Maybe some nice, warm, soft trousers would improve her mood - but I would not hold my breath.
Still, Winter is coming, and proper clothing might turn out to be a very good idea.
I loved the writing, and the notes about all the anachronisms used. There is a lot of great information in here, as well as a great story.
Originally, I was going to quickly read this book, then pass it on to some deserving little kid. Sorry kids, I'm keeping it.
Still, Winter is coming, and proper clothing might turn out to be a very good idea.
I loved the writing, and the notes about all the anachronisms used. There is a lot of great information in here, as well as a great story.
Originally, I was going to quickly read this book, then pass it on to some deserving little kid. Sorry kids, I'm keeping it.
June 28, 2016
Another unique, amusing and simply weird book by the inestimable Raymond Briggs. The basic plot follows caveboy ("why do we live in caves, mum? couldn't we build something outside?") Ug, who tries to invent all sorts of things, despite the general bafflement, contempt, and even anger of literally everyone else in his world. It's unusual for Briggs to focus on a smart character but not at all unusual for him to satirize ignorance, which he does here with rather less tragic effect than in many of his other books (e.g. , Gentleman Jim)--not that we have a happy ending here, either, as Ug's idea of inventing soft pants (rather than the stone ones everyone wears--it is the Stone Age, after all) comes a cropper when he isn't quite bright enough to figure out sewing. One might read this in different ways: smartness isn't good enough; brilliance cannot thrive when surrounded by indifference or antagonism; genius can be squelched by bad parenting; failure is the human lot, etc. None of these are particularly comforting "messages" for a kid's book, but I'm okay with that.
The humour is enhanced by Briggs's use of footnotes to subvert whatever dubious plausibility his narrative has (after all, stone pants, stone blankets--this is a silly world). Several times, Briggs uses footnotes to point out anachronisms in his text, and then subverts even this quasi-serious device by turning the notes themselves into jokes and silly commentaries. (e.g. a note on the use of the word "minutes" suggests that the word minute is an anachronism, as it was unknown in the Stone Age, but of course, there were billions and billions of them anyway.)
And of course it's all drawn in Briggs's deceptively simple and superficially "cute" style, which perhaps helps make the text's essential pessimism amusing rather than depressing. Briggs is a genius.
The humour is enhanced by Briggs's use of footnotes to subvert whatever dubious plausibility his narrative has (after all, stone pants, stone blankets--this is a silly world). Several times, Briggs uses footnotes to point out anachronisms in his text, and then subverts even this quasi-serious device by turning the notes themselves into jokes and silly commentaries. (e.g. a note on the use of the word "minutes" suggests that the word minute is an anachronism, as it was unknown in the Stone Age, but of course, there were billions and billions of them anyway.)
And of course it's all drawn in Briggs's deceptively simple and superficially "cute" style, which perhaps helps make the text's essential pessimism amusing rather than depressing. Briggs is a genius.
December 9, 2011
A clever idea to have a boy genius in the Stone Age. Ug doesn't like his stone pants and wants nice, comfortable soft ones. Fair enough too. Ug also doesn't like the stone bed he sleeps on, or the stone blanket he sleeps under. And the cold, raw ""dead animal bits"" well they don't seem that appealing either. Somehow though the book falls a bit flat, even the concepts behind it are quite imaginative.
September 21, 2018
Found this gem of a book under a £1 at a local charity shop. My sons and I chuckled and giggled throughout this book. A great book to read aloud with different expressions, especially when voicing the mother.
It is so engaging with its amusing tongue-in-cheek fictional style text that offers historical facts that link to modern day.
The comic book layout of this book with its speech bubbles would offer a great alternative read to the reluctant readers of any class. Equally, the pictures are funny and compliment the storyline.
A must have book for any Year3/4 teacher who is using the Stone Age as a study topic.
It is so engaging with its amusing tongue-in-cheek fictional style text that offers historical facts that link to modern day.
The comic book layout of this book with its speech bubbles would offer a great alternative read to the reluctant readers of any class. Equally, the pictures are funny and compliment the storyline.
A must have book for any Year3/4 teacher who is using the Stone Age as a study topic.
September 22, 2019
22/09/19 - I was done with this book before I even started it. I hate this guy. To be fair, the character descriptions are okay, the retells are okay, the scenes are okay and the portraits are okay so it has inspired a wide-range of work. BUT SUPER HAPPY TO BE ON TO The Pebble in my Pocket: A History of Our Earth
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14/09/18=I'm not sick of this book but my god I'm done with it. Been reading this for two weeks and I'm sick of everything I teach being related to Ug, Ag, Dug and Dugs. To The Pebble in my Pocket: A History of Our Earth
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My class loved it.
I did not realise how long this book actually was. It took us the best part of 40 minutes but it was the first day and EVERYTHING took longer. The children learned LOADS from this. What a great read! We will be reading it for the next two weeks to gain ideas on our 'failed inventions' story. SO yeah this is going on my 'currently reading' status. Sorry.
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A delightful introduction to the Stone Age - 4*
The author of The Snowman is back again with an ingenious introduction to the Stone Age. I love the comic book style format. Ug is a boy ahead of time and the links he makes to the modern world will make the Stone Age so accessible to children. The whole point of the book is about a pair of trousers but this book isn't 'babied' down. It is a very intelligent picture book.
This will be my first book to my new Y4s (2018-2019) so I will report back on their reactions to their book. We will also be using this for the first two weeks of English so I'll be reading it until then.
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14/09/18=I'm not sick of this book but my god I'm done with it. Been reading this for two weeks and I'm sick of everything I teach being related to Ug, Ag, Dug and Dugs. To The Pebble in my Pocket: A History of Our Earth
__________________________________
My class loved it.
I did not realise how long this book actually was. It took us the best part of 40 minutes but it was the first day and EVERYTHING took longer. The children learned LOADS from this. What a great read! We will be reading it for the next two weeks to gain ideas on our 'failed inventions' story. SO yeah this is going on my 'currently reading' status. Sorry.
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A delightful introduction to the Stone Age - 4*
The author of The Snowman is back again with an ingenious introduction to the Stone Age. I love the comic book style format. Ug is a boy ahead of time and the links he makes to the modern world will make the Stone Age so accessible to children. The whole point of the book is about a pair of trousers but this book isn't 'babied' down. It is a very intelligent picture book.
This will be my first book to my new Y4s (2018-2019) so I will report back on their reactions to their book. We will also be using this for the first two weeks of English so I'll be reading it until then.
February 20, 2015
I found this in my school of all places and thought I might add it to my graphic novel canon. I don't think I will. It's very odd. Very British, I guess you could say. Unless you were British - in that case you would call it good if you liked it, and "more American" if you didn't.
February 19, 2019
I really enjoyed reading and teaching literacy with this book because it provided many opportunities for drama and talk. I liked the fact that the book was written in a comic strip style because it was slightly different to the texts I was used to and taught me about the different features of this text type. There are some aspects of humour within the text and many opportunities for discussion on what might happen next and why might this have happened? Also there is an opportunity to be creative and create your own comic strip either to rethink what the characters were saying or as a follow on from the book. I liked how this text is themed around the Stone Age and could be explored in literacy alongside a topic unit on the Stone Age to create cross curricular links. Overall a good read!
November 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this sweet story about a stone age boy who just wants some soft trousers to wear. Loved the parents constantly referencing things they would have no idea about (and the book pointing this out).
March 28, 2022
I loved this more than Fungus the Bogeyman and was prompted to read it by the wonderful Backlisted podcast, which, if you haven’t listened, you should.
On the surface, a book about a Stone Age boy with stone trousers. On a deeper level it’s a profound piece of philosophical musing about society, change, personality, and humankind’s inability to live in a way that is in harmony with the planet.
On the surface, a book about a Stone Age boy with stone trousers. On a deeper level it’s a profound piece of philosophical musing about society, change, personality, and humankind’s inability to live in a way that is in harmony with the planet.
November 14, 2017
I absolutely loved this book, witty and sarcastic and (slightly) educational, I think it would be great for a year 4/5 child who appreciate the humour of this great read.
February 19, 2012
This comic style book is about a boy ahead of his time.
While this book is listed as for ages 5+ and it looks like a young children's book, I think that older students could appreciate and identify with this book more. As an easy, illustrated read, this book could be used well in a humanities course to model how we read books and respectfully discuss ideas. The reading level is low enough to include special needs or english language learners and the ideas in this book are sophisticated enough to hold the attention of more advanced students. The stone age setting make it a natural starting point for a thematic unit about changes/advances in society.
While this book is listed as for ages 5+ and it looks like a young children's book, I think that older students could appreciate and identify with this book more. As an easy, illustrated read, this book could be used well in a humanities course to model how we read books and respectfully discuss ideas. The reading level is low enough to include special needs or english language learners and the ideas in this book are sophisticated enough to hold the attention of more advanced students. The stone age setting make it a natural starting point for a thematic unit about changes/advances in society.
June 18, 2010
Kind of sad for a picture book that seems at first like it should be funny. I'd say it's more directed at parents than children since it demonstrates a parent's ability to either embrace or squelch a child's creativity.
December 4, 2008
Brilliantly witty.
November 15, 2024
I wasn't expecting it to be so sad (although Raymond Briggs often is very moving, I should have been prepared for the possibility). Don't worry, Ug doesn't die.
My only complaint is I love that he points out anachronisms in footnotes and explains things, but I don't love that he explains things incorrectly. That might mislead readers who don't otherwise know the truth, and it's not always obviously a joke.
And I know different strokes for different foks, but I'm shocked anyone could dislike this. (Not literally, I haven't been electrocuted). For me I'm hovering between 4 and 5 stars, where I assumed most people would be. It's funny, it's touching, the characters are delineated beautifully (you get a sense of Mom's character, and it's different from Dad's), it's fresh and inventive ... what more do you want? (I feel like Basil Fawlty, when a guest complained of the view: "Well, may I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeasts swinging majestically..."
(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
My only complaint is I love that he points out anachronisms in footnotes and explains things, but I don't love that he explains things incorrectly. That might mislead readers who don't otherwise know the truth, and it's not always obviously a joke.
And I know different strokes for different foks, but I'm shocked anyone could dislike this. (Not literally, I haven't been electrocuted). For me I'm hovering between 4 and 5 stars, where I assumed most people would be. It's funny, it's touching, the characters are delineated beautifully (you get a sense of Mom's character, and it's different from Dad's), it's fresh and inventive ... what more do you want? (I feel like Basil Fawlty, when a guest complained of the view: "Well, may I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeasts swinging majestically..."
(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
May 16, 2021
I wish trousers weren't made of stone. They're so uncomfortable. I can hardly move.
When we spotted this in a local charity shop I was intrigued about how Raymond Briggs would approach this children's book.
Having read the bleak apocalyptic When the Wind Blows and given the tear jerking ending to the The Snowman you could come to assume that there would be a darkness hidden within the pages and I felt there was, in Ug's struggles to make the stone age more comfortable for his family. His ideas are often dismissed as flights of fancy and his efforts to change things overlooked.
That said, it is a humorous take on the stone age with a very tongue in cheek viewpoint. I enjoyed this. 4 stars.
When we spotted this in a local charity shop I was intrigued about how Raymond Briggs would approach this children's book.
Having read the bleak apocalyptic When the Wind Blows and given the tear jerking ending to the The Snowman you could come to assume that there would be a darkness hidden within the pages and I felt there was, in Ug's struggles to make the stone age more comfortable for his family. His ideas are often dismissed as flights of fancy and his efforts to change things overlooked.
That said, it is a humorous take on the stone age with a very tongue in cheek viewpoint. I enjoyed this. 4 stars.
January 7, 2022
This is a comic book return by Raymond Briggs. Ug, his mom and dad, and his friend Ag are the characteristics of this story. Ug, tells us the story of a boy living with his parents in the Stone Age. They were only familiar with stone blankets, stone-cold food, an even colder cave and, worst of all, hard stone trousers! To increase the quality of life, Ug advises a number of changes. The text contains some humour, as well as several opportunities for conversation about what might happen next and why this might have happened. There's also the option to get creative and make your own comic strip, either to reconsider what the characters were saying or as a continuation of the story. There are many teaching opportunities when using this novel like drama, talk, comic writing, cave painting, DT, advertisement for their cave painting etc…The only thing I didn’t like in this book is even though, it is a children's book it really has adult humour throughout.
October 3, 2022
This appealed to my peculiar sense of humor. Humor that is greatly enhanced when I read such books to my 6 year old grandson. I am a closet thespian and so I pour heart and soul into the characterizations. Great material here with goofy characters, interesting plots and dialog. Ug has a lot of questions about why things are done they way they are in the Stone Age. His mom and dad are very likely too busy working in the Stone Age to address his queries. Thus, they are annoyed, leave the question hanging and look like idiotic parents: every kid's delight!
Plus, the stories [the book is divided into different 1-2 page stories] open up all kinds of conversations about modern conveniences. Comfort and niceness are Ug's prevailing concerns. Good stuff to talk about.
I took a recommendation from Goodreads for this one.
Plus, the stories [the book is divided into different 1-2 page stories] open up all kinds of conversations about modern conveniences. Comfort and niceness are Ug's prevailing concerns. Good stuff to talk about.
I took a recommendation from Goodreads for this one.
July 17, 2018
I normally love children's books, but I honestly thought this one was terrible. It was just silly. Ug being such a genius that he invented all these amazing things, but wasn't able to make any of them work. And the main point is that he wants soft trousers because they wear trousers carved out of stone, and sleep on a stone block with another stone block on top of them for a duvet. Why? Because it's the stone age! It was so weird, to be written so obviously from a modern perspective looking back at those times. I didn't find it charming, or quirky, or funny. It just annoyed me.
But on the good side, I bought it cheap at a charity table and gave it away to another charity table. So it's keeping a few pence rolling around, and someone else might like it.
But on the good side, I bought it cheap at a charity table and gave it away to another charity table. So it's keeping a few pence rolling around, and someone else might like it.
October 19, 2023
'Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age': an entertainingly silly story about a young boy's dream of wearing soft trousers, as opposed to the reality he faces (which is cold, hard stone). My class laughed out loud at some of the pictures; the characters' lack of clothing/ cover-up was a particular highlight of theirs and often mentioned! The anachronisms were also interesting to us. Poor old Ug, though. He is a cute little boy with a creative mind, but his curiosity is dismissed as irritating by his parents, who continually invalidate his genius ideas. The ending is quite saddening to be fair and a contrast to what begins as a light-hearted and charming tale. Overall, it's a big well done and thumbs up to Raymond Briggs for writing such a uniquely clever and witty graphic novel for kids!
October 6, 2020
I really enjoyed this book as it explains the key concepts of stone-age living and its place in history chronologically, whilst still being engaging and appealing.
Humourous and written in a comic-stip style, this would be a really good book to study alongside learning about the stone-age in History.
Humourous and written in a comic-stip style, this would be a really good book to study alongside learning about the stone-age in History.
September 12, 2021
A brilliant story of a young boy named UG, who lives in the Stone Age. Always asking questions - why do we have to wear trousers made out of stone? Why do we have to live in a cold cave? Why can’t we make boats that don’t sink?
A really good read and a useful text to educate children about the Stone Age which leads nicely into the ice age.
A really good read and a useful text to educate children about the Stone Age which leads nicely into the ice age.
November 13, 2017
This book shows a boy called Ug in the Stone Age who wishes to change the way things are done. His parents do not understand why he wants to keep changing things but then his father begins to come round to his ways and supports him in his new ideas such as soft trousers.
March 7, 2018
Sophisticated look at how our world view limits us. The subtext is not that easy for younger students to grasp, but I think with scaffolding like in a unit on "Where we are in place and time" it would have appeal
April 16, 2019
A brilliantly ironic and funny story. I like the illustrations and the way it is set out. Lots of opportunities for writing can come about from this, and I like how children would have to infer what each invention could be and why it would work, as opposed to just being told. I enjoyed it!
June 9, 2020
Pass on this one.
There is a theme about children having "what if" thoughts and troglodyte parents not really "getting it." But the writing is clunky, drones on, and frankly, I don't care about the main character.
Long, boring, and unsatisfying.
There is a theme about children having "what if" thoughts and troglodyte parents not really "getting it." But the writing is clunky, drones on, and frankly, I don't care about the main character.
Long, boring, and unsatisfying.
December 4, 2021
What I like about this book
It was very very good using really good descriptive words
I liked it was laid out as a comic
One thing I would improve about it
It doesn’t need to have dug dying at the end of it
TC
It was very very good using really good descriptive words
I liked it was laid out as a comic
One thing I would improve about it
It doesn’t need to have dug dying at the end of it
TC
September 12, 2023
A fun little story about a curious boy living in the stone age. He questions everything and clearly wants to push humans into the modern era! There's lots of witty commentary by Briggs where he identifies all the anachronisms he uses in the story. It doesn't really add up to much for me.
Read
July 8, 2025Not nearly as engrossing (see what I did there? En-gross-ing) as Fungus the Bogeyman, and one looking for something similar (as I was) to Fungus’s world-building will be severely disappointed. But definitely worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews