Mary Anning's Curiosity

February 15, 2017
Carved out and buffed up from historical records, an imagined account of the great fossil hunter's early life and groundbreaking career.Following an account of the lightning strike that killed several adults but spared the 15-month-old Mary, Kulling skips ahead to record the child's deep delight at getting a rock hammer for her eighth birthday. Between that and Anning's laborious extraction of a great ichthyosaur skeleton at age 12, in 1811, the author chronicles her sometimes-hazardous search for fossil ammonites and other "curiosities" (as they were then called) to sell as the family livelihood--first with her father and then, after his disabling accident and early death, largely alone. Period details of everyday life in Lyme Regis, both in the narrative and in Castrillon's delicate illustrations, and embroidered encounters with rival fossil hunters and collectors flesh out the story; notes at the end wire together explanations of what fossils are with descriptions of some of Anning's other discoveries and their subsequent histories. Though here at least she seems almost relieved to quit school at the earliest opportunity to pursue her vocation, Mary presents an admirable role model for her lively mind, independent spirit, and a continuing sense of wonder that drives her to chip away at nature's mysteries. An alternative to the shelf full of picture-book biographies, for readers who may find Sheila Cole's Dragon in the Cliff, illustrated by T.C. Farrow (1991) hard to read or get. (bibliography) (Historical fiction. 9-11)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Mary Anning (1799-1847) has been described as the "greatest fossilist the world ever knew." In actuality, there is very little definitively known about Anning's childhood and later life. What cannot be disputed is her contribution to our modern understanding of prehistoric creatures and paleontology. In order to address this lack of personal history, Kulling has created a fictionalized account of Anning's childhood, specifically focusing on the scientist's first major fossil discovery at age 12, when she found an ichthyosaurus in the cliffs near her home in Lyme Regis, on the Southern coast of Great Britain. Kulling's depiction of the family's poverty and grief over many lost children is powerful, but these details never overshadow Mary's development. Mary is drawn to the cliffs and the prospect of finding the "Giant Croc" bones of legend. Her brother Joe secures an apprenticeship elsewhere in town, leaving Mary with a brief description of the location of a piece of fossil he had discovered about a year earlier in the rock face. Armed with this knowledge and working carefully to avoid detection by the village con man, Captain Curry, Mary sets about seeking the location of the strange piece. With this fictionalized look at Anning's childhood, Kulling provides context for readers and offers a fascinating glimpse at how those who came before us have shaped our comprehension of the world. VERDICT A strong additional purchase for large collections and where fictionalized biographies are appreciated.-Colleen S. Banick, Westport Public Schools, CT

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2017
Grades 2-5 Mary Anning is still a bit of an unsung hero of early paleontology, and this slim, fictionalized account of her childhood adds to the growing number of children's books about the nineteenth-century fossil hunter. Kulling focuses primarily on Anning's childhood and the story of one of her early finds, later identified as an ichthyosaur. Young Mary loves to traipse about the beach hunting for curiosities, or fossils, that her family sells to tourists. Money is tight, though, and when her father dies and leaves them in debt, Mary and her brother look even harder for the great crocodile rumored to be buried in the shale cliffs. Though a major conflicta competition with another fossil hunteris wrapped up a bit too quickly, Mary's insatiable drive to find fossils and fascination about what the petrified remains reveal about the past should make this popular with middle-graders who love dinosaurs. An author's note offers helpful context, both about Mary Anning's life and paleontology. A stirring story made more inspirational by the reality of its protagonist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)