(2) K-3 Illustrated by Florencia Gigena. The paleontologist authors take readers step-by-step through the process of unearthing, transporting, and assembling a titanosaur skeleton they discovered. Additional definitions and facts are found at the bottoms or sides of the pages. Gigena's art (which appears to be pencil and watercolor) skillfully conveys the immensity of the fossils. Small photographs of the authors and their team members at work are found throughout.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Let's Investigate with Nate series. Illustrated by Wes Hargis. PBS host/scientist Ball (in cartoon form) and a group of adventurous children travel back in time from a science museum to the Mesozoic era to return a wayward dinosaur to its rightful period. The main text briefly describes conditions in different geologic periods while dialogue bubbles convey the slight fictional frame story; one student's journal pages provide additional facts. A fossil-dig activity is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Smithsonian Little Explorer: Little Paleontologist series. Focusing on animals from different prehistoric periods, these books describe what scientists infer about the creatures' physical features, behavioral traits, and habitats. Helpful comparisons to coexisting species, including predators, underscore their unique characteristics. Illustrations include awkward computer-generated images of dinosaurs on photographic backgrounds as well as diagrams and pictures of fossils. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Smithsonian Little Explorer: Little Paleontologist titles: American Mastodon and Brachiosaurus.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Smithsonian Little Explorer: Little Paleontologist series. Focusing on animals from different prehistoric periods, these books describe what scientists infer about the creatures' physical features, behavioral traits, and habitats. Helpful comparisons to coexisting species, including predators, underscore their unique characteristics. Illustrations include awkward computer-generated images of dinosaurs on photographic backgrounds as well as diagrams and pictures of fossils. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Smithsonian Little Explorer: Little Paleontologist titles: American Mastodon and Brachiosaurus.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Our Extreme Earth series. These small-trim books for very young readers present basic introductions to earth science topics. A sentence or two on each page defines processes or materials, with emphasis on key vocabulary words. Colorful (uncaptioned) photographs are fairly well matched to the accompanying text. Each book ends with an image and brief profile of a scientist from the related field and a question for further thought. Glos. Review covers these SandCastle: Our Extreme Earth titles: Earthquakes, Fossils, Minerals, The Rock Cycle, Weather, and Volcanoes.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 In this updated edition, Gibbons describes seven dinosaur groups (prosauropods, theropods, sauropods, stegosaurs, ankylosaurs, ceratopsians, and ornithopods), pointing out common features, habits, and other interesting facts. Her signature illustrations, amiably sketchlike yet accurate, portray mainly non-scary-looking dinosaurs as well as the paleontologists who study their fossil remains. Useful phonetic pronunciations accompany the dinosaur names.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. On a school trip to the natural history museum, Kimmy, who loves science and dinosaurs, is silenced when her male classmate scoffs, "Girls aren't scientists." With support from teacher Mr. Tiffin and plenty of inspiring evidence to the contrary, Kimmy finds her voice. In Karas's friendly gouache and pencil illustrations, the class wanders grand halls and awe-inspiring fossil displays as the drama unfolds.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Earth Detectives series. Olson's cursory introductions to different earth-science disciplines first define each field, then shift to discussions of the scientific research and methods used. One famous historical scientist is always profiled, then the laboratory and field work of today's practitioners are described; accompanying photographs feature the landforms and earth materials discussed plus important scientific tools. Back matter offers career advice and tests readers' comprehension. Glos. Review covers these Earth Detectives titles: Exploring Earthquakes, Exploring Fossils, Exploring Minerals, Exploring the Rock Cycle, Exploring Volcanoes, and Exploring Weather.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Alison Carver. Poetic text describes an Ice Age beluga whale's life with her pod and her (somewhat jarring) death; Charlotte's fossilized bones are discovered 11,500 years later in 1849 Vermont. How the fossils helped scientists understand ways the land had changed makes for interesting reading, but concluding messages from the bones ("'Time goes by fast,' they say") is a melodramatic touch. Extensive notes provide additional information. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 4-6 Lucy & Andy Neanderthal series. A clan of early humans joins the Neanderthals (Lucy & Andy Neanderthal) as temperatures drop with the impending Ice Age. As the children deal with overcrowding, cave bears, incessant snow, and incompetent adults, it's difficult to track all the new characters and their relationships. This sequel's black-and-white, child-friendly graphic-novel panels once again depict modern-day paleontologists making interstitial appearances to explain facts and dispel myths.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Devlin Quick Mysteries series. While volunteering at a dinosaur dig in Montana with her friend Kate, preteen sleuth Devlin Quick (Into the Lion's Den) realizes something suspicious is happening to the fossils. This second compelling mystery eventually takes Devlin to New York's American Museum of Natural History, where she uses all her resources (including her police-commissioner mother's NYPD computer access) to dig up the truth.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) K-3 Xtreme Dinosaurs series. This easy-to-read series groups dinosaur and ancient reptile species by prominent characteristics and describes the "Xtremes" in physical structure and function each possesses. Fossil explains the work of paleontologists. The illustrations feature dramatic close-ups and action poses of ferocious-looking dinosaurs and the fossil remains of their impressive teeth, jaws, beaks, and plates. Layered images and superimposed type contribute to a cluttered design. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Dinosaurs titles: Armored Reptiles, Carnivores, Flying Reptiles, Fossil Hunters, Herbivores, and Sea Reptiles.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Xtreme Dinosaurs series. This easy-to-read series groups dinosaur and ancient reptile species by prominent characteristics and describes the "Xtremes" in physical structure and function each possesses. Fossil explains the work of paleontologists. The illustrations feature dramatic close-ups and action poses of ferocious-looking dinosaurs and the fossil remains of their impressive teeth, jaws, beaks, and plates. Layered images and superimposed type contribute to a cluttered design. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Dinosaurs titles: Armored Reptiles, Carnivores, Flying Reptiles, Fossil Hunters, Herbivores, and Sea Reptiles.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Xtreme Dinosaurs series. This easy-to-read series groups dinosaur and ancient reptile species by prominent characteristics and describes the "Xtremes" in physical structure and function each possesses. Fossil explains the work of paleontologists. The illustrations feature dramatic close-ups and action poses of ferocious-looking dinosaurs and the fossil remains of their impressive teeth, jaws, beaks, and plates. Layered images and superimposed type contribute to a cluttered design. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Dinosaurs titles: Armored Reptiles, Carnivores, Flying Reptiles, Fossil Hunters, Herbivores, and Sea Reptiles.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Xtreme Dinosaurs series. This easy-to-read series groups dinosaur and ancient reptile species by prominent characteristics and describes the "Xtremes" in physical structure and function each possesses. Fossil explains the work of paleontologists. The illustrations feature dramatic close-ups and action poses of ferocious-looking dinosaurs and the fossil remains of their impressive teeth, jaws, beaks, and plates. Layered images and superimposed type contribute to a cluttered design. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Dinosaurs titles: Armored Reptiles, Carnivores, Flying Reptiles, Fossil Hunters, Herbivores, and Sea Reptiles.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Xtreme Dinosaurs series. This easy-to-read series groups dinosaur and ancient reptile species by prominent characteristics and describes the "Xtremes" in physical structure and function each possesses. Fossil explains the work of paleontologists. The illustrations feature dramatic close-ups and action poses of ferocious-looking dinosaurs and the fossil remains of their impressive teeth, jaws, beaks, and plates. Layered images and superimposed type contribute to a cluttered design. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Dinosaurs titles: Armored Reptiles, Carnivores, Flying Reptiles, Fossil Hunters, Herbivores, and Sea Reptiles.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Xtreme Dinosaurs series. This easy-to-read series groups dinosaur and ancient reptile species by prominent characteristics and describes the "Xtremes" in physical structure and function each possesses. Fossil explains the work of paleontologists. The illustrations feature dramatic close-ups and action poses of ferocious-looking dinosaurs and the fossil remains of their impressive teeth, jaws, beaks, and plates. Layered images and superimposed type contribute to a cluttered design. Glos., ind. Review covers these Xtreme Dinosaurs titles: Armored Reptiles, Carnivores, Flying Reptiles, Fossil Hunters, Herbivores, and Sea Reptiles.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Earth Before Us series. When Ronnie flunks her dinosaur quiz, quirky neighbor Miss Lernin, a paleontologist, whisks them back to the late Triassic; other periods are explored from there, with thorough introductions to flora and fauna. There's a lot of information imparted, but the humor and graphic-novel format keep things from getting pedantic. Ronnie aces her re-test, and her budding interest in science paves the way for book two. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Melissa Castrillón. This engaging fictionalized account of Mary Anning's scientific curiosity begins in 1807 Lyme Regis, England, where eight-year-old Mary lives with her poor family. Mary shares her father's passion for finding fossils, and after his death she finds, at age twelve, what is later called an Ichthyosaurus. Extensive end notes are appended to the well-researched novel. Reading list.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene