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Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers
mrs_bookdragon's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for sharing this book with me in exchange for an honest review. Fans of Jess Keatings Shark Lady will love Dinosaur Lady! This is a book about Mary Anning who changed the way the scientific world viewed the natural world and helped kick-start Paleontology with her discoveries. Mary was a brave, daring, and intelligent woman who dared to be different. This is a great story to show how asking questions and having curiosity can lead to great things and how never backing down in the face of adversity can help change the world. I highly recommend this picture book.
munsie's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Dinosaur Lady is an illustrated biography of Mary Anning, a fossilist who is widely regarded as one of the first paleontologists helping to define the discipline in addition to making significant contributions and discoveries. Due out 7th July 2020 from Sourcebooks, it's 40 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I love children's nonfiction. This is a well written, factually based, beautifully illustrated biography aimed at younger readers (~4-8 years of age) which manages to provide a kid-friendly version of Anning's often frustrating and impoverished life. She was rejected by the scientific establishment at the same time they were acknowledging her as an expert in her field. The book gleefully provides the information that she correctly identified coprolites as fossilized feces as well as identifying fossilized ink sacs from early cephalopods (squids).
The text is age appropriate and engaging. The art is beautifully rendered and supports the text very well. This is definitely a book which would grab the interest of most kids. I found it interesting and learned quite a lot of information of which I was previously unaware.
The book includes an abbreviated timeline of Anning's discoveries and contributions along with contemporary occurrences as well as a short glossary.
Five stars. This would make a great selection for a classroom or public library, as well as the child's home library or a gift.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Dinosaur Lady is an illustrated biography of Mary Anning, a fossilist who is widely regarded as one of the first paleontologists helping to define the discipline in addition to making significant contributions and discoveries. Due out 7th July 2020 from Sourcebooks, it's 40 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I love children's nonfiction. This is a well written, factually based, beautifully illustrated biography aimed at younger readers (~4-8 years of age) which manages to provide a kid-friendly version of Anning's often frustrating and impoverished life. She was rejected by the scientific establishment at the same time they were acknowledging her as an expert in her field. The book gleefully provides the information that she correctly identified coprolites as fossilized feces as well as identifying fossilized ink sacs from early cephalopods (squids).
The text is age appropriate and engaging. The art is beautifully rendered and supports the text very well. This is definitely a book which would grab the interest of most kids. I found it interesting and learned quite a lot of information of which I was previously unaware.
The book includes an abbreviated timeline of Anning's discoveries and contributions along with contemporary occurrences as well as a short glossary.
Five stars. This would make a great selection for a classroom or public library, as well as the child's home library or a gift.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
ela_lee_'s review against another edition
5.0
Such a lovely book with adorable, colorful, and quirky illustrations! I'd (sadly) never heard of Mary Anning before reading this book and am so disappointed I didn't learn about her as a child. Hard to believe she is one of the world's first paleontologists, yet few have ever heard of her. What an amazing woman who dedicated her entire life to paleontology research in a time when no one yet knew dinosaurs existed. Can't wait to read this to my nephew :)
annebennett1957's review against another edition
5.0
Finally Mary Anning is getting credit for being the first person to discover dinosaurs (without naming them that) and realizing that she found new and extinct species. It will field test this book on my grandson next time he visits but I suspect he will enjoy it, too.
My review: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2021/02/nonfiction-review-dinosaur-lady.html
My review: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2021/02/nonfiction-review-dinosaur-lady.html
turrean's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
2.5
The title implies Anning discovered or studied dinosaur fossils. Her main finds were not dinosaurs, but other types of fossils (ichthyosaurs, pterosaurs, belemnites, coprolites.) The author suggests that it was Anning’s ichthyosaur fossils that led scientists to understand the vast age of the earth. “Mary’s find wasn’t old, it was millions of years old. Their declaration shattered the commonly held belief that the Earth was only 6000 years old.” This is a vast oversimplification of the evidence that led scientists to their modern estimates of the Earth’s age.
This is a charmingly illustrated book about a fascinating scientific figure, but the imprecise language will perpetuate common misinformation about paleontology.
This is a charmingly illustrated book about a fascinating scientific figure, but the imprecise language will perpetuate common misinformation about paleontology.
briipearl's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
libscote's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, I'm glad Marry Anning is getting more attention. So often things like dinosaurs and rocks are associated with boys, and quite possibly the world's greatest fossilist was a woman! One who couldn't get into lectures based on the information she provided. Sigh.