Mr. Peale's Bones (Stories of the States) [Library Binding]

Tracey West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1994 | Age Level: 9 and up | Series: Stories of the States

An eleven-year-old boy living in New York State joins the expedition of nineteenth-century artist and scientist Charles Willson Peale to dig for mammoth bones on a nearby farm.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-It is the summer of 1801. Puny, scientific-minded Will, 11, has lived on his uncle's farm in Ulster County, New York, since his mother died three years earlier in a fire. When his father, a carpenter, is hired to help Charles Willson Peale with his excavation of mammoth bones discovered in a marl pit nearby, he wants Will to be his assistant. Working together renews their bond, and by the book's end the boy goes back to live with his father. West plunges readers a bit abruptly into the story, incorporating background information as she goes. However, she does a good job of sustaining interest through the halts and starts that lead to the expedition's ultimate success. The focus shifts from character to plot as the color and excitement of the event come through, though Peale's energetic personality is well drawn. An afterword talks more about Peale and his family, the dig, and its aftermath. A topic sure to intrigue fans of prehistoric creatures, told in a length suitable for reluctant readers.
Sally Bates Goodroe, Houston Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding: 60 pages
• Publisher: Silver Moon Pr; 1st edition (July 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1881889505
• ISBN-13: 978-1881889502
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,167,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tracey West is the author of more than 200 books for children and young adults, including the Pokémon chapter books and the popular Pixie Tricks series. In 2009 her new series, Hiro's Quest, premiered in Scholastic Book Fairs. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, three stepkids, and a variety of small animals.