Bones Rock!: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Paleontologist - Softcover

Larson, Peter; Donnan, Kristin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 193122935X ISBN 13: 9781931229357

Publisher: Invisible Cities Press LLC, 2004

Synopsis

Revealing true stories about kids who have made paleo-discoveries and providing young readers with the tools necessary to make the next big discovery, this book shows kids how to collect, clean, and study fossil samples in order to develop and further their own research interests. Examples from the fossil record and the laboratory help to answer questions raised by bones and by movies about dinosaurs, such as Could a Velociraptor really open a door? Covering actual field and lab techniques, methods for developing scientific theories, information about summer dig programs, ways to incorporate fossils into classwork at school, and plans for a future in science, this book provides aspiring scientists with applicable and educational research tools. From figuring out whether a sample is an authentic dinosaur specimen to reading about discoveries made by other young paleontologists, kids learn how to become active contributors to the field of dino-study. Entertaining and realistic, this book includes cautions about safety, mentorship, and permission.

About this title

About the Author

Peter Larson is the founder and president of the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research. He has personally collected and prepared fossil material from North and South America, Europe, and Asia, and has discovered more Tyrannosaurus rex bones than anyone else in the world. He lives in Hill City, South Dakota. Kristin Donnan has investigated controversial legal cases for NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries and has written for McCall's. She lives in Hill City, South Dakota.

Reviews

Starred Review. Grade 5-9–In this practical guide, Larson shares his obvious passion for his work, discussing scientific methods and a wide variety of fossil-hunting techniques. The conversational style of the writing, filled with plenty of challenging questions and easy-to-follow analogies, effectively brings readers into this fascinating world. While most will probably never get the opportunity to prepare fossils in a lab, the basic instructions convey what it would be like if the chance should arise. The value of finding a mentor–someone with more experience who can make fossil finding more interesting (and safe) for young beginners–is stressed. Though Larson asserts that anyone can hunt fossils in one way or another, he also makes it clear that it can be hard and time-consuming work: "It takes about 25,000 hours of skilled preparation to clean a whole T. rex." Many of the examples used come from the author's own finds, and notable discoveries made by kids and teens are also highlighted. A teacher's guide is appended. Illustrations include high-quality color photographs and helpful diagrams and drawings. There's fascinating information here, and Larson's enthusiasm and sound advice give plenty of encouragement to young scientists.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
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Edition details

• Publisher: Invisible Cities Press LLC
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 193122935X
• ISBN 13: 9781931229357
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160