Dragon Bones

December 1, 2021

Gr 2-5-Nineteenth-century paleontologist Mary Anning gets her moment in this new picture book biography. From her early days searching for buried treasures to put food on the table to finding her first major fossil at 13 to starting her own Fossil Depot, Marsh and Wicks illuminate the life of Anning with simplified, almost parablelike reverence. Never too busy, each page delicately sets the scene and captures the environment in which Anning was making her discoveries, for which she was often overlooked. While not the first children's biography on Anning, this will captivate kids who are interested in dinosaurs but not necessarily ready for full-on science books about them. The back matter not only offers a concise biography of the scientist but also details on the fossils she discovered and tips for becoming a paleontologist. VERDICT Add this to any biography collection, especially those looking to highlight more female scientists.-Aryssa Damron, DC P. L., Washington, DC

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2021
This biography of paleontologist Mary Anning spends most of its time in her childhood. Concise, energetic text and appealing cartoon-style illustrations tell the story of Mary Anning, amateur paleontologist and fossil hunter. At age 13, Mary found what she thought of as dragon bones and is now credited with unearthing the large, fossilized skeleton of an ichthyosaur (literally, "fish lizard"). Throughout her life on the cliffs surrounding Lyme Regis, England, Anning discovered many other fossils, including the bones of a plesiosaur. Though the pictures indicate that the book takes place in the past, the exact time period is not specified. Some explicit discussion of women's roles and rights would likely have highlighted how unusual Mary and her discoveries were, though the story does note that wealthy men purchased and took credit for much of what she found. Despite the lack of context, this is an engaging, accessible portrayal. Young scientists, treasure hunters, and dinosaur lovers will be inspired by this dramatic tale of imagination, dedication, and resilience while learning about science and the thrill of fossil hunting. The informative endnotes include further details about Mary and the legend that surrounds her memory, a page on how to become a paleontologist, and facts about the creatures she found in the cliffs. Mary and her family were White. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A lively portrayal of an outstanding 19th-century woman and her contributions to the study of paleontology. (selected bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 4-8)

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January 1, 2022
Grades 1-3 Marsh and Wicks unearth the life of fossil hunter and STEM role model Mary Anning in this account of her life and discoveries. The biographical details here focus primarily on Anning's delight in "treasure"-hunting expeditions with her father and one surviving brother, and on her lifelong dedication to discovering fossils (for which she didn't always receive credit at the time) and understanding their anatomical intricacies. After profiling six of Anning's prehistoric finds in the tiny-type afterword, the author informs readers who want to become paleontologists ("just like Mary!") that they'll need to earn a PhD, which may be true these days for careerists, but this begs the fact because even more "like Mary," they can be successful amateurs at practically any age. Still, whether shown courageously clambering on cliffs near her home and imagining the marvels hidden in them or expertly dissecting a fish as part of her studies, Anning does offer a compelling example of science at work.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 18, 2021
Glenn Marsh offers a conversational picture book biography of unsung English paleontologist Mary Anning (1799–1847), beginning with her childhood in a coastal English town whose stormy weather frequently “uncovered new, unusual things from deep within the rocky earth.” Though the white family sells the fossilized bones and shells to combat hunger amid food shortages, Anning is beguiled by the objects. And when her brother makes an interesting find, she keeps digging, eventually unearthing ichthyosaur and plesiosaur fossils—both subsequently bought and publicized by men who failed to credit the finder. Employing shifting angles, Wicks’s stylized pencil and digital art juxtaposes the subject’s modest seaside existence with her determination and metaphysical images of the fossils that compel her: “strange, nameless creatures curled in the cliffs.” Back matter includes a contextualizing short biography of the “mother of paleontology,” more information about her finds, and information about becoming a paleontologist. Ages 4–8.

January 1, 2022
Mary Anning (1799-1847) loved "treasure hunting" with her father and brother along the storm-pounded cliffs of their seaside English hometown, Lyme Regis. The treasures were fossilized shell and bone "curios" they'd sell to tourists. After their father died, her brother discovered what he thought was a giant crocodile head, but it was Mary, at just thirteen, who painstakingly uncovered the entire body. The skeleton (which she thought looked like a dragon) made newspaper headlines before being sold and displayed in a museum and named an "ichthyosaur" (fish lizard). During her lifetime, self-taught Anning discovered five additional extinct creatures, including two species of plesiosaurs. Though she rarely received proper credit at the time, today she is considered the "mother of paleontology." Marsh's mainly upbeat, child-centered text is complemented by Wicks's (Primates, rev. 5/13; Astronauts, rev. 5/20) comic illustration style. Bold pencil outlines and vibrant, digitally colored hues almost pop off the page. Wicks incorporates a few graphic-novel staples -- dynamic character expressions, sound effects, and speech bubbles -- to add playful touches to the story. Also noteworthy are the recurring luminescent drawings outlined in white that denote Anning's imaginings, whether of extinct creatures she hopes to (or does) discover or of her deceased father watching over her. Back matter includes more details about Anning's life, quick facts about "Mary's dragons" (also creatively featured on the endpapers), information on "How to Become a Paleontologist," and a selected bibliography. Cynthia K. Ritter

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
Mary Anning (1799-1847) loved "treasure hunting" with her father and brother along the storm-pounded cliffs of their seaside English hometown, Lyme Regis. The treasures were fossilized shell and bone "curios" they'd sell to tourists. After their father died, her brother discovered what he thought was a giant crocodile head, but it was Mary, at just thirteen, who painstakingly uncovered the entire body. The skeleton (which she thought looked like a dragon) made newspaper headlines before being sold and displayed in a museum and named an "ichthyosaur" (fish lizard). During her lifetime, self-taught Anning discovered five additional extinct creatures, including two species of plesiosaurs. Though she rarely received proper credit at the time, today she is considered the "mother of paleontology." Marsh's mainly upbeat, child-centered text is complemented by Wicks's (Primates, rev. 5/13; Astronauts, rev. 5/20) comic illustration style. Bold pencil outlines and vibrant, digitally colored hues almost pop off the page. Wicks incorporates a few graphic-novel staples -- dynamic character expressions, sound effects, and speech bubbles -- to add playful touches to the story. Also noteworthy are the recurring luminescent drawings outlined in white that denote Anning's imaginings, whether of extinct creatures she hopes to (or does) discover or of her deceased father watching over her. Back matter includes more details about Anning's life, quick facts about "Mary's dragons" (also creatively featured on the endpapers), information on "How to Become a Paleontologist," and a selected bibliography.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)