Auel describes the life of the Cro-Magnon girl Ayla, who loses her family in an earthquake and gets adopted by a tribe of Neanderthal people, called The Clan of the Cave Bear.

After leaving the Clan, Ayla has to live on her own and demonstrates skillful survival in The Valley of Horses.
While living alone, she tames a horse and a cave lion and finally meets a man of her own people, Jondalar of the Zelandonii, who is destined to be her lover and companion.

Together, they spend some time in the earth lodges of The Mammoth Hunters, people who call themselves Mamutoi and use every part of that animal for food, shelter, clothing, and for music making.

The fourth book of the series, describes their travels across The Plains of Passage. On their journey, they are following the Danube river, called the Great Mother River, until they reach the home of Jondalar, the caves and stone shelters in Southern France.

The long awaited Book Five, The Shelters of Stone, describes Ayla's and Jondalar's life in the 9th cave of the Zelandonii. Finally we learn if and how Ayla is accepted by Jondalar's people, and about their way of life, their shelters, their art and their mythology.

Book Six Update! Jean Auel is continuing to write Book 6 in the series as of November 2007. When we know something about the new book, it will be posted here and at Ayla's World. Jean continues to research and has hinted in at least one interview that there might even be a Book 7! There are many rumours out that Book 6 has been given an ISBN # or a working title or that Jean gave up or had an accident or even died. None of these are true. Keep tuned for further updates.