Fossil Hunter

December 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 Richard Anning loved to take his children, Mary and Joseph, out on fossil-finding expeditions along the dangerous cliffside beaches of Lyme Regis. Mary was particularly entranced by the unusual findings trapped in those rocks, and after her father passed, she turned to fossil hunting to provide for her family. Mary became an expert on the excavation process, ultimately discovering the first complete plesiosaur fossil and first connected ichthyosaur skeleton, among hundreds of other finds. It's frustrating to learn how little credit Mary received, but there are also moments of incredible support shown by fellow scientists. Though the book covers scientific principles, prehistoric creatures, and biographical details, it also delves into Mary's experiences, conjuring windblown cliff searches and dusty hours spent chipping away at delicate fossils. Detailed paleoart spreads bring Mary's prehistoric creatures to life, and illustrated chapter headers, historic illustrations, and geological maps add rich visual interest. Back matter includes a time line, glossary, and guide to her fossils displayed around the world. A personal and compelling glimpse into an important scientific mind.

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December 15, 2021
Before she became a trailblazing scientist, Mary Anning was a poor, young woman with no formal education. Growing up, Anning loved exploring the beaches and cliffs of her native Dorset, a county in southwest England. Raised in the town of Lyme Regis, she was trained by her father to hunt for fossils. She became adept at removing the delicate bones of prehistoric creatures from rocks and preparing them for sale in her impoverished family's fossil shop. At age 13, Anning made an extraordinary discovery--the first complete ichthyosaurus skeleton ever found; her older brother had earlier discovered its skull. Intelligent and fiercely determined, Anning educated herself by copying articles and drawings from scientific journals, and she learned anatomy through dissection. She achieved many remarkable breakthroughs that gradually advanced paleontological and geological knowledge: She found the first complete plesiosaur fossil; became the first British person to find a pterodactyl; and was the first person in the world to discover a squaloraja (an ancestor of the shark and ray) fossil. Anning rarely received recognition in her lifetime. Only near her death at age 47--due to breast cancer--did she finally gain fame and respect for her scientific contributions. This admiring tribute is well written and thoroughly researched. Its handsome design includes captioned, high-quality color and black-and-white paleoart, archival photos, and engravings as well as some of Anning's sketches and excerpts from her correspondence with friends and fellow scientists. Each chapter opens with a quote, including three attributed to Anning. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Solid, respectful scholarship tailored for mature, serious-minded young readers. (author's note, timeline, glossary, notes, source quotes, bibliography, index) (Biography. 10-13)

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April 1, 2022

Gr 4-8-Along with relating Mary Anning's experiences seeking fossils and becoming an expert paleontologist before the term existed, this is the story of a girl growing up in the early 1800s. Blackford brings enthusiasm and reverence to this biography as both an author and a geologist. Readers will learn that Anning was struck by lightning as a very young child; her dog, Tray, accompanied her on digs and guarded her finds; and she kindly let children look through trays of fossils at her shop. These details give a sense of Mary as a person while descriptions of her toils, including how she dressed, dealt with different social classes, and chose not to augment the skeletons she found broaden the sense of her character. Appearing on almost every page are paleo-art paintings, photos of her fossils, a historic strata map, etchings, images from Anning's journals, and more, that present a visual representation as exciting as her story. Documentation includes a time line, glossary, where to see her fossils, source quotes, and more. VERDICT An excellent addition to any collection where there is an interest in paleontology or women's history.-Janet S. Thompson

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2022
Mary Anning, the nineteenth-century paleontologist who supported her family by selling fossils that she discovered near her seaside home in Great Britain, gets the full biographical treatment in this clearly written chapter book. Sketches from Anning's letters, pertinent archival artwork, a portrait of Anning, and photos of her fossils offer a complementary visual account. The narrative contextualizes the kind of education Anning would have received and the constraints of her poverty and social class, and emphasizes her abilities and knowledge despite her lack of either formal training or recognition from male authorities. An author's note, timeline, glossary, bibliography, and index (unseen) are included in the extensive back matter.

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