Bones Rock!: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Paleontologist [Paperback]

Peter Larson (Author), Kristin Donnan (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

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
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Invisible Cities Press Llc (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193122935X
• ISBN-13: 978-1931229357
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Dino book for kids ever!, June 22, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Bones Rock!: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Paleontologist (Paperback)

My kids are 8 and 10, and they are both obsessed with Bones Rock! They love it for the awesome photos and the tips about learning to be paleontologists. I love it because they are learning the scientific method without even realizing it. I'm a teacher and I think this is one of the best classroom tools I've come across in a long time. Wow!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book for older kids who are really into dinosaurs, April 10, 2007

By 

E. Cronk - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bones Rock!: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Paleontologist (Paperback)

This is a serious book for kids who are interested in paleontology. My son has devoured all the basic dinosaur books for kids, so this was good for going a step further. One great feature is the bibliography at the back; they suggest books to read, places to visit, classes to take, and even colleges to attend for paleontology, for those who want to work towards a career. Very inspirational.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bones Rock!, July 29, 2007

By 

S. Taylor-arnold (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bones Rock!: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Paleontologist (Paperback)

Well-written and illustrated book that will appeal to children who have an interest in rocks, and may be thinking of becoming a paleontologist.