Dragon Bones - by Sarah Glenn Marsh (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Dragon Bones is a picture book biography of fossil-hunter Mary Anning, who discovered a dinosaur skeleton that changed the landscape of paleontology.

At home in her seaside town in England, little Mary Anning stared out her window. Unlike other children, Mary couldn't wait for a rainy day. Because when it rained... the bones were revealed.

With her father and brother, Mary would go out searching the damp soil after a storm, with the hopes of finding something nobody had seen before: a dinosaur.

After her father dies, Mary must continue her search, picking up his tools and venturing out alone. In her life, she discovered several creatures, but was never given credit...until recently.

This eye-opening biography of the legendary Mary Anning, illustrated by Maris Wicks, shatters expectations and brings together two creators who are as passionate about their subject as they are about their art. Inspiring, this true adventure begs for re-reads.

Review Quotes

*Listed on 2022 Great Books for Kids List from Evanston Public Library!*

"A lively portrayal of an outstanding 19th-century woman and her contributions to the study of paleontology." - Kirkus

"Add this to any biography collection, especially those looking to highlight more female scientists." - School Library Journal

"Marsh's mainly upbeat, child-centered text is complemented by Wicks's comic illustration style. Bold pencil outlines and vibrant, digitally colored hues almost pop off the page." - Horn Book

"Particularly attuned to preschool and primary audiences...the interplay between the solidity of Mary and her discoveries and the wispy white outlines of her realistic and fantastical imaginings opens a window into a period when even renowned naturalists pontificated from speculation more often than settled knowledge." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB)

"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...offer[s] a compelling example of science at work." - Booklist

About the Author

Sarah Glenn Marsh writes young adult novels and children's picture books, such as Alice Across America and The Bug Girl. An avid fantasy reader from the day her dad handed her a copy of The Hobbit and promised it would change her life, she's been making up words and worlds ever since.

Maris Wicks is a writer and illustrator of science comics (Human Body Theater, Science Comics: Coral Reefs, and more), as well as a self-proclaimed gigantic nerd. She has written, drawn, and colored comics for First Second Books, New England Aquarium and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, as well as Spongebob Comics, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics.