Mary Anning was a self taught scientist as her family couldn’t afford to send her to school. Her father was a carpenter and also took her and her older brother Jospeh with him fossil hunting, and they would sell the fossils in order to buy food. Once her father died, she continued fossil hunting to make ends meet for her family.

Most renowned male scientists of the time wouldn’t credit her for her discoveries in their publications or presentations, even if they purchased the fossils directly from her. At the age of twelve, she discovered England's first ichthyosaur.

The book included photographs of fossils that are showcased in museums still today, her sketches of fossils, snippets from letters she would write to friends, and paintings of what the animals she discovered would’ve looked like — the first paleoart.

The information is presented in an easy to understand manner, and includes a glossary of terms in the back. Even though I am not the target audience for this book (I’d say middle grade), I still learned a lot, as I had never heard of Mary Anning before reading this.

Content warnings: poverty, sexism, death of a parent, death of a pet

Thank you to Netgalley and Clarion for the free book.

I thought this was a very compelling read about Mary Anning and her life and contributions to science as we know it today. I wished for a bit more detail to make it more compelling but I think it is informative for kids.

This is by far the best book I have read about Mary Anning aimed at children. Evolution and fossils are taught in British primary schools and there is always a massive focus on Darwin. However, the resources out there telling children about Anning and fairly patchy in my opinion. However, this one fills that gap. Beautifully illustrated, straight talking and full of language that is accessible to children, it is a must for all schools that study fossils.

Thank you so much for the eARc.

This is an outstanding upper elementary or middle grade level book introducing a long ignored female scientist who broke barriers constraining her gender and furthered the study of prehistoric life.

Mary Anning was a poor British girl when she began fossil hunting with her father along the southern coast of England. She would continue to spend her life searching and finding countless valuable fossils of prehistoric marine creatures, including the first full ichthyosaur as well as plesiosaur fossils.

The book is incredibly readable, with excellent illustrations throughout to hold a child's interest. The language is precise and accurate, while not being too simplified. It is really a biography, science, and history book combined. There are great historical notes and asides for young learners who may not have as much general history background knowledge; for instance, Page 25 shows a portrait of Mary Anning and notes how it was common for people at that time not to smile in portraits, so her expression in the portrait didn't necessarily reflect her mood or feelings.

Each chapter begins with a quotation or excerpt from a primary source. The glossary is also helpful. I really enjoyed the whole book and intend to set it aside as something to look for when my daughter is older, should she be interested in important female historical figures.

Fossil Hunter by Cheryl Blackford is a great book for young readers that teaches them about an important part of history. I would definitely consider buying this book to use it in my classroom and teach my students about this character. Great illustrations and wonderful story. Well done!

A detailed account of the life of fossil hunter Mary Anning and her contributions to the paleontological world despite the barriers placed by her social class, sex, and lack of education. The information is presented in an easy-to-read format and full of photographs that complement the text. A timeline, glossary, and bibliography round out this non-fiction account of the life and discoveries of this scientist.

The author does a fine job of showing the difficulties women had in pursuing scientific pursuits and places it in the context of the times, without excusing it. This would be a good addition to libraries that have a strong school connection and is good for readers 4th-6th grade.

Discovering the details of Mary Anning's life through this beautifully illustrated biography is nearly as exciting as the fossil discoveries she is known for! Mary Anning unearthed fossils that were prized by the scientists of her day. Her discoveries helped to shape our current understanding of the prehistoric world, yet during her lifetime, she was given little credit. Why? Because of her gender and social class.

This biography will appeal to a wide range of ages and interest levels. Mary Anning is a likable figure. She perseveres through hardship and prejudice as she pursues what she loves, and she does so while supporting her family and making crucial contributions to the scientific community.

I received a free ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is an extremely interesting book - I learnt a great deal from it and it read easily.

I would say that it is definitely more suited for upper KS2 and over.

The text is not difficult but it is quite heavy. The books is filled with detailed illustrations which compliment the book nicely.

Although this is a non fiction book it had the feel of a story about it as I read it.

This was a wonderful biography of Mary Anning. Her interest with fossils began at an early age hunting with her father and brother. Her dad was a carpenter by trade but enjoyed hunting for fossils in their surrounding cliffs of Lyme Regis. He would often take his son and daughter with him. After suffering a horrifying accident while fossil hunting, her father was never the same and eventually succumbed to tuberculosis. His death left the family in debt. So Mary increased her love of fossil hunting and found a way to earn money to help her mother. She educated herself by borrowing books/journals from her wealthy friends.

After her brother Joseph found a four foot long fossil skull, Mary, at the young age of twelve, discovered the rest of the two hundred million year old Ichthyosaur’s bones. Over time her many other discoveries were spoken about and written in scientific journals. Mary, however, hardly received the recognition or credit she deserved even though her discoveries were the basis for the pioneering work on the history of life on earth. It wasn’t until after her death from breast cancer that her friend, Sir Henry De La Beche, who became president of the geological society, educated his colleagues about Mary’s many contributions to this field and her amazing skills at reassembling fossil skeletons.

The author provided a fascinating look into the life of this incredible woman with the added bonus of many detailed illustrations. The language was perfect for her targeted audience and written in an engaging style to capture their attention. The author also provided a glossary and timeline along with information on where to see some of Mary Anning’s discoveries.

This was more than a book about Mary Anning, one of the greatest paleontologists of all time. This was also about a young girl who persevered despite the odds. She didn’t let her poverty or her lack of schooling or being female deter her. Through sheer determination and hard work, Mary Anning made a name for herself in a field dominated by men and secured her place in history for all time.
Highly recommended for all school libraries/classrooms.

A thoroughly engaging look at the life of Mary Anning who was a Fossil Hunter living in Lyme Regis in the 1800s. The region was rich in fossils especially after winter storms which revealed them hidden in the cliffs surrounding Lyme Regis. Taking after her father who died when she was young Mary Anning became skilled at revealing fossils and discovered the first ichthyosaur skeleton at the age of 13.
Although she knew many geologists and sold fossils to collectors and museums she was not recognised for her work in her lifetime because she was a woman.
This wonderful book combines fascinating facts about Mary Anning, geology and fossils alongside illustrations of what the found animals could have looked like and photographs of her fossils, letters and sketches. Finishing with a clear Glossery and Bibliography this is a fantastic resource for any aspiring palaeontologist.

This was a well written, well illustrated non-fiction title on a person I had never heard of before! My students love learning about fossils and typically really enjoy non-fiction titles as well. I particularly like that this highlighted a female scientist. I love to include women in STEM roles in literature I provide to my students.

This e-copy was kindly given to me by Netgalley and the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

I think I duped myself on this book. I went into it thinking it would be one of those juvenile nonfiction books that crosses into the territory of being almost picture book like, with illustrated pages and what not. I was wrong, lol. And being disappointed in that is no ones (and specially not the books) fault, but my own. But, I will say that as far as information and everything else, this is a solid read. I recommended this title to the JNF selector at the library system for as a good one/ one worth considering to purchase. I love the dinosaur and paleontologist aspect, but hearing the early story of a woman in the field was really awesome! And one that I think has a positive message for young girls interested in science based careers or predominantly male dominated fields.

Fossil Hunter by Blackford is a great extension resource when studying fossils, especially for students who love non-fiction. The story of Mary Anning’s life is inspiring, and despite many obstacles presented in an old school society of England, Mary persevered in doing what she loves and making history as a first woman fossil scientist.

This is a brilliant children’s biography of Mary Anning. I was hooked from the very first pages where we are introduced to the dying dinosaur. The book combines fantastic illustrations and photographs with a detailed look at the life of this important woman. I like the way the book highlights how difficult it was for women to get any recognition for Scientific work that they did and the timeline at the back is a useful addition.
This a great non fiction book for any child with an interest in fossils, dinosaurs and Science in general and I will definitely be buying a copy when it is published in January.

An excellent to any classroom library or children’s bookshelf. A wonderful glimpse into Mary Anning’s life and her contributions to science. An easy, informative read with purposeful use of pictures, sketches, and drawings.

The story of Mary Anning is part of our 4th grade reading series, so this book is a nice addition to my classroom for students who want to explore her life story even further. It's also nice to find books that depict females in underrepresented careers or females exploring a male-dominated field. I had not heard of Mary Anning until well into my adulthood - and likely due to the fact that I am teacher. We need more books that highlight the important contributions of women, and of course, students in upper elementary school remain fascinated by dinosaurs, so it is truly a win-win of a book!

I WILL be sharing Fossil Hunter with my students when we study fossils this year. I wish I had it the last three years for this unit. I can't wait for my female students to have another role model in a usually male dominated field.

Fossil Hunter is a book about Mary Anning. She was an influential self-taught scientist in the study of paleontology. When Mary was thirteen her brother found the fossil of a skull that was so heavy he needed the help of others to carry it. Mary knew there had to be a body to go with the skull and was determined to find it. She never gave up until she found it. Many thought the fossil was from a crocodile, but scientists soon determined that the fossils were not crocodiles due to the circular bones around the eyes. Scientists who bought her fossils used her knowledge to make a name for themselves, including the naming of her finds as a new species.

Like many women of that time, she was ignored by the scientific world run by men. It is important to note that she was finally recognized 150 years after her death by the Paleontological Association naming an award after her and the Royal Society including her in a list of the most influential women in the history of British Science. Five years later, 2015, a new species of Ichthyosaurus is named after her. They are long overdue tributes of a woman who followed her dreams, but it is good to know they are recognized.

This is a great read to learn how paleontologists moved from believing a fossil belongs to one species and the study to prove they do or not. This is definitely a five star read. I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Being the science lead at my school and also having taught both year 3 and year 6, where fossils are explored as part of science topics, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in to this book and it didn’t disappoint. Fossil Hunter is a non-fiction book detailing the story of Mary Anning, it includes quotes from her as well as those who knew her, a variety of photographs and double page spread illustrations which altogether makes for such interesting reading.
Within the book, you get to learn about what it was like for Mary Anning growing up and also how, despite being such a wonderful fossil hunter, she wasn’t acknowledged as such until a long time after her death. I found this book very well written and particularly liked how Blackford detailed the meaning of names given to the fossils found as, along with the photographs, it helps a reader to get a sense of what these fossils looked like and how scientists give quite literal names to things. The timeline included towards the end of the book helps to get a sense of how slowly things moved with regard to women being taken seriously in the scientific world and will definitely be something I highlight to the children in my class.
This book will appeal to both adults and children, who want to learn more about Mary Anning, what she achieved in her lifetime and how this influenced our knowledge of animals who once lived on Earth.

Wow! What a fantastic book! I loved learning about Mary and her paleontology finds. This book was well researched and explained wonderfully. Mary was a pioneer in paleontology, she was inventive, hard-working, and self-taught. Her discoveries were amazing and she never stopped searching for more answers.

If you are interested in learning about dinosaurs, excavations, fossils, history, women in the 19th century, fossil finding on the English coast, or just a great book then this book is for you.


Posted on Goodreads, Indigo.ca, The StoryGraph, and MyBookPledge on October 3, 2021.

This book was very informative, but read more like a college paper or essay. The wording style and dry approach made it less engaging. I loved the biographical info and actual pictures being used, but it felt too direct at times.