The Great Unknown [Hardcover]

Taylor Morrison (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 2001 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

The Great Unknown tells, in words and pictures, the story of one of the most important turning points in the study of natural history. Two hundred years ago, Charles Willson Peale, founder of America’s foremost natural history museum, heard that a number of large bones were found buried in a farm field in upstate New York. He journeyed there and, with great effort, excavated and eventually assembled the bones into an almost complete fossil skeleton, only the second in the world. It was the first skeleton ever assembled of what we now call a mastodon. The imposing mastadon skeleton was soon put on display in Peale’s museum in Philadelphia. People came from all over to see the huge creature. Not only did Peale’s curiosity and determination pave the way for future paleontologists, his discovery of the mastodon was pivotal in convincing the public of the reality of extinction.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Huge bones unearthed more than 200 years ago on John Masten's farm in New York's Hudson River Valley led to solving the mystery the animal scientists had called "The Great Unknown." The somber-toned paintings and bare-bones text of this picture-book account follow the efforts of Charles Willson Peale to excavate enough bones from the valley's peat bogs to assemble the full body of the extinct animal now known as the mastodon. Morrison begins with a preface describing the herds of mastodons at the end of the Ice Age. Several pages into the book, the title page is followed by the momentous discovery and Peale's subsequent efforts to find the other bones. Morrison gets a bit ahead of himself, showing much of the skeleton when the first bone was unearthed. Peale's effort to drain the soggy land with a giant pump is among several intriguing scenes rendered in dark tones suggesting a long-ago time. The staccato text will challenge some readers, though the handsome scenes tell an interesting but sketchy story. Michael O. Tunnell's amusing picture book The Joke's on George (World, 1995) is more within the grasp of primary-grade readers. Janet Wilson's The Ingenious Mr. Peale (Atheneum, 1996) is a full-length biography, and James C. Giblin's The Mystery of the Mammoth Bones and How It Was Solved (HarperCollins, 1999) nicely describes the history of both Peale and the mastodon. The Great Unknown is a serviceable and sometimes eye-catching introduction for middle-grade readers.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. This picture book describes the discovery of mastodon bones on a New York farm in 1799, the unearthing of the fossils, and their purchase by Charles Willson Peale, who assembled them into a skeleton for display in his Philadelphia museum. Morrison weaves the facts into a story that not only dramatizes the intriguing events but also points out that Americans 200 years ago were troubled to think that an animal could become extinct. Supporting the story, the last page includes information about the history of Peale's mastodon skeleton, a brief bibliography, and a glossary of terms used in the text. Well-composed paintings, from portraits to landscapes to action scenes, illustrate the account. Readers too young for James Cross Giblin's excellent The Mystery of the Mammoth Bones and How It Was Solved (1999) will find this a good introduction to the subject. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (April 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395974941
• ISBN-13: 978-0395974940
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,478,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book about the Beginnings of Paleontology!, October 10, 2007

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Great Unknown (Hardcover)

I thought this was a very nice book to teach students about the beginnings of paleontology. It is intended for kids, not adults. The language is a bit clunky but the story comes across very well. It is difficult to understand that belief in evolution and palentology is pretty new. People had to take up an interest in Science first then look into many curiosties in the natural world. This book helps students understand how fossils were discovered to be remains of plants, animals and humans.

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Unknown, September 18, 2007

By 

George Daniels - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Unknown (Hardcover)

This book has more pictures than written content. It would be okay for an eight year old. Even at a discount,as over priced.