(3) 4-6 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.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(1) 4-6 "Evolution is a journey, not a destination." The paths and branches of human evolution, from our primate ancestors to Homo sapiens, are thoroughly covered over seven chapters (with titles like "We Get Swelled Heads" and "We Invent ­Barbecue"). The book shows how physical traits, social behaviors, intelligence and empathy, and the ability to teach and talk afforded advantages to various hominid species. Turner (Crow Smarts, rev. 11/16) is a consummate storyteller: her steady pace through millions of years of the human evolutionary line is buoyed by an amused stance, joke-filled footnotes, well-timed shifts into second person, and modern-day analogies attuned to a middle-grade audience. At the same time, she is meticulous in emphasizing the main underlying concepts of evolutionary science: her terms are precise, her representations of scientific knowledge clearly differentiate between hypothesis and established fact, and she confronts misconceptions head on (see especially a powerful statement about the unscientific construct of race: "race is a cultural construct, not a biological reality"). The main text includes numerous diagrams and maps; photographs of landscapes, fossils, artifacts, and modern animals; and artistic interpretations of long-extinct species. It's followed by another fifty pages of notes and resources, timelines, and a glossary.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alexandra Bye. Growing up in South Dakota in the early twentieth century, Ruth Mason was curious about the "bones" she collected in her backyard. Decades of inquiries to museums and universities yielded no results until finally, in 1979, a fossil hunter arrived and the incredible fossil beds (at what became Ruth Mason Quarry) were uncovered. Ninety-nine different kinds of dinosaur fossils and ten complete skeletons went to museums all around the world. Cartoon-like digital images of Mason at different ages in her prairie home will sustain reader interest in this (partly fictionalized) biography, and although the text occasionally conflates fossils and bones, its message of persistence will play well. An author's note and bibliography round out this light fare.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Maris Wicks. 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.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Huynh. For many years, people in northern Nebraska found fossilized bones so often around a certain hillside that they called it Bone Hill. Over the course of several decades, multiple teams of scientists came to discover a treasure trove of complete animal skeletons fossilized in the ashy ground surrounding Bone Hill. But the fossils were so delicate that, instead of transferring them to a lab somewhere, workers built a lab around the hill, creating the space that would become the Ashfall Fossil Beds, a state park where visitors can still view scientists at work. Stevens starts by describing the ancient creatures that roamed Ashfall, then discusses the supervolcano whose ash was the animals' demise. With this intriguing hook in place, she moves on to the scientists' work to discover the mysteries behind the abundant fossil remains at Ashfall. Black-and-white photos alternate with Huynh's comic-style spot- and full-page art to bring the scenes to life. Stevens's light tone ("How did the researchers know the young rhinos' ages? They couldn't very well ask them. But they could [and did] check their teeth"), short chapters, and plenty of white space should appeal to many young fossil-hounds, although excessive detail in some places may leave less-enthralled readers in the dust. Words in bold appear throughout, defined in a glossary at the back; an author's note, resources for further study, and an index are also appended.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(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

(2) YA In mid-1800s America, a frenzy to acquire giant fossilized bones was primarily defined by two early paleontologists seemingly motivated more by selfish desires than altruistic efforts to set the natural history record straight. By providing alternate chapters for each man, Noyes reinforces their animosity by showing both sides, allowing readers to participate in the volley of their arguments. Deep green used in the page design suggests a primordial atmosphere. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 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