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The fossil whisperer : how Wendy Sloboda discovered a dinosaur
2022
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Publishers Weekly Review
With this personable biography, Becker and Dumais shine a spotlight on Canadian paleontologist Wendy Sloboda (b. 1970), who found her first fossil at age 12. Centering on Sloboda's most significant discoveries and her "rare eye for the unusual," the chronological book begins with the figure as an inquisitive schoolchild who, during a field trip to Alberta's badlands, spots fossilized coral. Other discoveries follow, including a shard of fossilized eggshell (which led researchers to the location of pristine fossilized Hypacrosaurus eggs and embryos) and a full skeleton from the late cretaceous (dubbed the Wendiceratops). Dumais's digital art has a hand-colored feel; cheerful scenes primarily showcase the work that goes into paleontology. Becker's easygoing, exclamation-filled prose, meanwhile, makes Sloboda's interest feel relatable, amplifying the joy of scientific discovery. Extensive back matter includes further information, timeline, activity, glossary, and more resources. Ages 4--8. (June)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--This picture book biography kicks off when Canadian fossil hunter Wendy Sloboda is a young student. She loves exploring nature and notices things that other people miss, spying the unusual amidst a field of seemingly ordinary birds, rocks, and plants. Detailed illustrations will inspire readers to notice just such minutiae, from a blue jay feather in her pocket to the brilliant red of a cardinal or toadstool. On a field trip to the badlands near her home, Sloboda falls in love with fossils and, at the age of 12, the course for her life is set. She grows up to work in the paleontology department of a museum and travels the world finding fossils wherever she goes. During one of her fossil hunts, she discovers the skeleton of an unknown horned dinosaur and initiates a four-year-long dig with other paleontologists. The dinosaur is named Wendiceratops in her honor. Back matter includes more biographical details about her life, the Wendiceratops, Canadian fossil discoveries, a glossary, and tips and research resources for students who want to follow in her footsteps. Obvious care has been given to intentionally inclusive illustrations. Each crowd in the book, from the first page depicting Sloboda leaving school, to the ending where a museum group huddles honoring her discovery, features a person using a wheelchair and people with different skin and hair colors, head coverings, and glasses. Beautifully crafted, colorful, and carefree endpapers with a frolicking girl amid trees, animals, and fossils capture the spirit of the book. VERDICT Recommended for early nonfiction collections and any shelf emphasizing STEM titles or biographies of women.--Lauren Younger
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