Review of Dinosaur Lady by Linda Skeers

This is the story of a woman who dared to dig, explore, and discover. This is the story of Dinosaur Lady.

Mary Anning loved scouring the beach near her home in England for shells and fossils. She fearlessly climbed over crumbling cliffs and rocky peaks, searching for new specimens. One day, something caught Mary's eye.

Bones. Dinosaur Bones.

Mary's discoveries rocked the world of science and helped create a brand-new field of study: paleontology. But many people believed women couldn't be scientists, so Mary wasn't given the credit she deserved. Nevertheless, Mary kept looking and learning more, making discoveries that reshaped scientific beliefs about the natural world.

Dinosaur Lady is a beautiful and brilliant picture book that will enlighten children about the discovery of the dinosaurs and the importance of female scientists. It also includes a timeline of Mary Anning's life and lots of fantastic fossil facts!

Book Links

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**My thoughts**

Did you know that the first paleontologist was a woman? I had no idea! But this book tells us the story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis, England, who loves to be out and about exploring her world. One day, she accidentally stumbled upon a couple of bones and knew there had to be more out there. She patiently waited for Mother Nature to help her out and eventually discovered the first Ichthyosaurus skeleton. And from there, she made many more important discoveries. The book is subtle and yet to the point about how back in Mary's times, women were not allowed to be scientists or professors and how it was difficult at first for people to want to believe her. It also repeatedly emphasizes how she was a determined learner and kept right on studying and discovering, in another subtle, yet clear message to keep on exploring.

After her story is a bunch of fun facts about the history of dinosaur studies and a timeline of Mary's life. The Author's Note gives me my favorite bit of trivia, that the famous tongue twister "She sells seashells on the seashore..." is likely about Mary! I never knew that.

This book fascinated me because it is a bit of history I did not know. I don't know that kids will be as excited about the revelations as I was, but I think they're still going to really enjoy this book. I mean, dinosaurs are fascinating and the true stories are even better!

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Toby, Toby, Worry Free by Lucinda Grapenthin illustrated by Kevin Gosselin

 

When Toby is faced with learning to ride his bike so he can play with his friends, he begins to worry and worry and worry.

"What if I fall?" "What if other kids laugh at me?" "What if I can't ride my bike?!"

Mommy pauses, attuning to his behavior. She accepts his emotions and calmly engages with him, encouraging his discovery of positive steps to solve this dilemma.

Toby learns a better way to manage his feelings by using his can do thoughts. Now, he can have fun!

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About the author:

Lucinda Taylor Grapenthin, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice and Assistant Professor at Brenau University, also serving as Clinic Director for the Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and Director of the Brenau University Play Therapy Training Institute. Dr. Grapenthin has over 20 years’ experience working with children and families as the founder of the Family and Child Development Center. She also presents at academic conferences and professional institutions on topics related to mental health disorders, such as trauma and attachment, as well as play therapy and parenting.

Dr. Cindy lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Richard, and golden retriever, Currier. Their adult children, Alex, Kristi, and Trevor, float in and out of their home, adding delightful chaos.

I was compensated for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

Can I Play With My Food? by Ali Manning

 

Can I Play with my Food? is an early-reader picture book that explores food and science through the eyes of two sisters. Nema and Lexi let their imaginations run wild as they discover where food comes from and how a simple experiment can shape their dreams.

This story shows children that playing with food can be fun, but it also highlights the importance of acceptance. While others might think a disability like Down’s Syndrome is a hindrance, Nema and Lexi show us that the ingredients of compassion, acceptance, and love make anything possible.

Book Links

Goodreads * Kindle * Paperback * Hardcover

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BIO:

Ali Manning is a food scientist and the owner of Umami Food Consulting. With over ten years in the food industry, she utilizes her passion for food, science, and community to help food entrepreneurs. Ali is also the founder of Food Science 4 Kids, a program that teaches grade-school children STEM-related topics. Aside from her day-to-day businesses, she’s an all-around creative that loves to skate, travel, eat and enjoy life with her husband, Brian Manning. Find out more about Ali at ali-manning.com

Website: https://ali-manning.com
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3HuFMYq

I was compensated for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.