If you loved
Earth's Children
Jean M. Auel · Book · 1980
What hooked you in Earth's Children was the immersive way that ancient, alien-feeling landscapes shape the survival of outsiders.
Films on the same thread
Children of Men
Alfonso Cuarón · Film · 2006
Explores: Infertility, Societal Collapse, Hope in Darkness.
Just as Ayla navigates the perils of a harsh, changing world in Earth's Children, this story follows a desperate journey where survival depends on protecting the future of humanity.
Ice Age
Chris Wedge · Film · 2002
Explores: Prehistoric Adventure, Unlikely Friendship, Returning a Child.
Fans of Earth's Children will recognize the struggle against a freezing, unforgiving environment, though this quest trades the epic drama for a lighter take on prehistoric migration and companionship.
The Land Before Time
Don Bluth · Film · 1988
Shares a thread with Earth's Children: Survival.
Like the coming-of-age journey found in Earth's Children, this film captures the raw necessity of traversing vast, dangerous lands while forging bonds among an unlikely group of survivors.
Planet of the Apes
Franklin J. Schaffner · Film · 1968
Explores: Xenophobia, Speciesism, Reverse Role.
The disorientation of being an outsider in a society ruled by different species mirrors Ayla's struggle in Earth's Children, highlighting the profound isolation of being the last human.
Series on the same thread
Primal
Genndy Tartakovsky · Series · 2019
Shares 2 threads with Earth's Children: Survival, Prehistoric Fiction.
This visceral animation mirrors the human-animal connection and the primal survival instincts that define the core experience of reading Earth's Children in a harsh, prehistoric world.
Outlander
Ronald D. Moore · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Earth's Children: Historical Fantasy.
The intense culture clash and the experience of being a woman displaced in a rigid, historical society will resonate deeply with readers who enjoyed Ayla in Earth's Children.
ThunderCats
Theodore Walter Wolf · Series · 1985
Shares a thread with Earth's Children: Survival.
Much like the displaced characters in Earth's Children, these survivors must lean on their unique skills and each other to navigate the aftermath of a total world collapse.
The Chosen
Dallas Jenkins · Series · 2019
Explores: Faith, Redemption, Discipleship.
The focus on a singular, transformative figure navigating a changing world mirrors the epic character trajectory of Ayla as she grows to define her era in Earth's Children.
Podcasts on the same thread
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cultural origins, archetypal storytelling, human condition.
If you appreciated how Earth's Children grounded its narrative in the origins of human culture, you will enjoy these explorations of the myths that shaped our collective identity.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2025
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The deep analytical dive into the fragility of civilization and the nature of human history provides the same intellectual satisfaction that underpins the setting of Earth's Children.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I read the Earth's Children series in?
The Earth's Children series begins with The Clan of the Cave Bear, which introduces the heroine Ayla. Her journey continues in subsequent books, including The Plains of Passage, where she and Jondalar travel across Ice Age Europe on horseback.
Is Earth's Children about the Ice Age?
Yes, Earth's Children is set during the Ice Age. The story follows Ayla and Jondalar as they traverse the windswept grasslands of Europe, encountering hunter-gatherers who are unfamiliar with the practice of taming animals.
Who is the main character in Earth's Children?
The heroine of Earth's Children is Ayla. First introduced in The Clan of the Cave Bear, she becomes a central figure as she travels across the continent with Jondalar, facing the reactions of those who view their unique skills with fear and mystery.
How does the story progress in Earth's Children: The Plains of Passage?
In The Plains of Passage, which is part of the Earth's Children series, Ayla and Jondalar embark on a journey across the grasslands of Europe. This installment focuses on their interactions with various groups of people who have never encountered tamed animals before.