Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist

by Linda Skeers, Marta Álvarez Miguéns (Illustrator)

Overview

A beautifully illustrated picture book biography of Mary Anning that will enlighten children about the discovery of the dinosaurs and the importance of female scientists, perfect for fans of The Girl Who Thought in Pictures

Mary Anning loved scouring the beach near her home in England for shells and fossils. She fearlessly climbed over crumbling cliffs and rocky peaks, searching for new specimens. One day, something caught Mary's eye.

Bones. Dinosaur Bones.

Mary's discoveries rocked the world of science and helped create a brand-new field of study: paleontology. But many people believed women couldn't be scientists, so Mary wasn't given the credit she deserved. Nevertheless, Mary kept looking and learning more, making discoveries that reshaped scientific beliefs about the natural world.

Educational backmatter includes a timeline of Mary Anning's life and lots of fantastic fossil facts!

The perfect choice for parents and teachers looking for:

• Dinosaur books for kids 5-7 and kids books about fossils
• Feminist picture books about historical women, and daring books for girls
• Kids STEM books

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728209517
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	07/07/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	42,037
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Linda Skeers is the author of several critically acclaimed children’s books. She also teaches picture book writing workshops, including sessions on writing humor for kids. She lives in Iowa. Visit her at www.lindaskeers.com.

Marta Álvarez Miguéns is a self-taught children’s illustrator. She was born in a small town in Galicia, Spain, and currently lives in La Coruña, Spain. She is the illustrator of Shark Lady (written by Jess Keating), which was named a 2018 Best STEM Book by the Children’s Book Council as well as a Best STEM Book by the National Science Teachers Association.

Editorial Reviews

"[The] illustrated timeline that references scenes in the text is an effective recap. Fossil facts and an author’s note are also included." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Sure to elicit excitement and curiosity. A sturdy portrayal of Victorian scientist Mary Anning that showcases her accomplishments, intelligence, and perseverance. " — Kirkus Reviews

"A 2020 A Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year" — A Mighty Girl

"This enjoyable introduction to a pioneering paleontologist should intrigue and inspire young readers." — School Library Journal

"Perfect in every way, this appealing biography recounts Mary Anning’s beach discoveries of the first dinosaur bones ... Pretty illustrations and fantastic writing with impressive sentence variety." — Melissa Taylor, Imagination Soup

"This appealing picture book celebrates Anning's significant contributions to paleontology." — Booklist

"[A] delightful illustrated biography ... Uncover fossils and never-before-seen skeletons with Mary as she ventures through rough terrain, weather, and the Geological Society’s antiquated notions of gender equality, all while looking lovely in Austen era gowns and bonnets." — Foreword

"Both the large, clear text and the simple yet effective double-page illustrations make this title perfect for even the youngest scientists, adventurers, and dinosaur-lovers" — School Library Connection

From the Publisher

07/01/2020

PreS-Gr 3—Even as a young girl, Mary Anning (1799–1847) displayed a curiosity for excavating fossils and ancient bones. Anning explored the cliffs near her birthplace of Lyme Regis, England, and accompanied her father, a tradesman by day, on his fossil-hunting excursions. After discovering the head of an ancient creature, Anning became enthralled with searching for bones of other prehistoric animals. She committed her life's work to the pursuit of exhuming and writing about extinct species. Skeers's simple, straightforward prose details the paleontologist's personal history and career accomplishments, including her findings (she helped discover the first Ichthyosaurus and the first complete Plesiosaurus) and her difficulties with male contemporaries. Miguéns's colorful and charming illustrations enhance the informative and readable narrative. Readers will greatly appreciate the explanation of paleontological terms, a time line of Anning's life, and the author's note that fills in the gaps not covered in the book. VERDICT This enjoyable introduction to a pioneering paleontologist should intrigue and inspire young readers. An excellent purchase for school and public libraries.—Margaret Nunes, formerly at Gwinnett County P.L., GA

School Library Journal

2020-03-25
A new picture-book biography of the pioneering scientist and finder of bones.

Armed with both a hammer and chisel and a spirit of inquiry, young Mary Anning searched the beach and cliffs of Lyme Regis, England, eventually unearthing the bones of an enormous, heretofore-unknown creature. Action-filled illustrations and straightforward text allow Anning’s determination to shine through and show how her knowledge as well as the fossils she found were initially dismissed because of the sexism of the time yet nevertheless led to the study of fossils, the invention of paleontology, the understanding that animals could become extinct, and the discovery of dinosaurs. Though her financial struggles as a white woman of the time are made evident, portions of her story, including the facts that she was struck by lightning as a baby and that her father died when she was around 11, go unmentioned before the informative backmatter, which seems a lost opportunity. Readers likely to ask questions—her age when she made various discoveries, why she began searching the cliffs, the specific time period in which she lived—will have to wait for the timeline and author’s note. (An additional spread offers a smattering of paleontology facts.) Still, Anning is clearly a worthy subject, and this tale of her accomplishments is sure to elicit excitement and curiosity.

A sturdy portrayal of Victorian scientist Mary Anning that showcases her accomplishments, intelligence, and perseverance. (Picture book/biography. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews