My Thoughts This book is awesome! Dinosaurs and girl-power combined with brilliant and bright illustrations that transport you as well as story-telling that keeps you hooked till the very end make this a must-have! What I loved about this (a lot, as you can see!): --- the eye-catching and clever cover, where the title is written out with bones, ensured I picked this read. And once you open the book, Miguéns’ illustrations continue to charm you at every turn with their beauty, and surprise you with the details. --- the fact that it tells the story of Mary Anning, aka the First Paleontologist, to the youngest readers (and older ones like me who did not know about her till this book) --- how Linda Skeers effortlessly captures and highlights Anning’s perseverance and curiosity and her passion for learning; she also slips in scientific terms into the pages without making it seem like a text book or a non-fiction book (which in fact, it is!) --- that this book is full of so many inspiring and teachable moments. I totally appreciated ----- that Skeers does not downplay the barriers women faced in that day and age, and reading about how Anning continued in spite of all the adversities (financial and gender-related barriers) is truly empowering. It captures the frustrations and struggles of Anning’s life while keeping the focus on her lifelong journey of learning and achievements. It was truly wonderful to note that many distinguished male scientists of the time came to her for advice! --- how both Skeers’ words and Miguéns’ illustrations highlight the thrill of discovery (like when Anning and her brother first discovered the eye of the dinosaur looking out at them on the beach!); as well the thrill and hard work of learning and overcoming obstacles. --- the timeline and additional notes included at the end of the book that help the readers understand the story better, as well as provide more interesting reading and resources for curious(actually, all) readers. --- that it is written in an easy to read and understand way for the target audience (who might need help with some of the scientific terms, but they might surprise you since those are all dinosaur related) but still appealing to readers of all ages (including adults). And the other side: Well, nothing really to add in a ‘what I did not like about this book’ section – nothing at all! Additional Notes --- Check out the SourceBooks website for a really useful study guide provided by as an accompaniment to this book. --- I recall seeing another book by Linda Skeers earlier, where she references Mary Anning, but somehow don’t think I read it. I am going to look for it now. You should take a look too – Women Who Dared --- And yes, another find because of this book I am looking forward to read is Shark Lady by Jess Keating and illustrated by Miguens. In Summary What more can I say? It is simply a great read – an educational, inspiring, entertaining, empowering and exciting read! So go get it now!! I know I am getting a physical copy for myself ..and adding this to that list of truly giftable books for all occasions and all ages. Disclaimer: Thanks to Netgalley and SourceBooks for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

An engaging book about one of the earliest paleontologists, Mary Anning, who discovered five previously unknown dinosaurs in her lifetime, as well as many minor discoveries that changed how scientists looked at the past- she discovered dinosaur doo, y'all! Though she didn't get all the credit she deserved at the time, in 2010 she was recognized by the Royal society as one of the ten British women who have most influenced the history of science. The story is interesting, and should intrigue boys and girls alike, especially those who are into dinosaurs. The text is followed by a "bits and facts" spread about dinosaurs and fossils, a timeline of Anning's life, and an author's note with more information. The illustrations are vibrant and filled with lively detail, and punctuate the text well. #NetGalley

Did you know that the first paleontologist was a woman? I had no idea! But this book tells us the story of Mary Anning of Lyme Regis, England, who loves to be out and about exploring her world. One day, she accidentally stumbled upon a couple of bones and knew there had to be more out there. She patiently waited for Mother Nature to help her out and eventually discovered the first Ichthyosaurus skeleton. And from there, she made many more important discoveries. The book is subtle and yet to the point about how back in Mary's times, women were not allowed to be scientists or professors and how it was difficult at first for people to want to believe her. It also repeatedly emphasizes how she was a determined learner and kept right on studying and discovering, in another subtle, yet clear message to keep on exploring. After her story is a bunch of fun facts about the history of dinosaur studies and a timeline of Mary's life. The Author's Note gives me my favorite bit of trivia, that the famous tongue twister "She sells seashells on the seashore..." is likely about Mary! I never knew that. This book fascinated me because it is a bit of history I did not know. I don't know that kids will be as excited about the revelations as I was, but I think they're still going to really enjoy this book. I mean, dinosaurs are fascinating and the true stories are even better! Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This appealingly illustrated picture book biography shares the story of Mary Anning and her fossil discoveries. It includes lots of interesting facts about dinosaurs, and surprised me with the detail that when she discovered her first fossils, the word 'dinosaur' did not even exist yet. I enjoyed learning more about her pioneering work, and appreciate that the book addresses the constraints that she experienced as a woman without making it look like these injustices defined her life. Even though men excluded her from scientific groups and the academy, she made the best of her situation, and I appreciate this book's portrayal of how innovative she was.

Oh. My. Gosh. Educational! Dinosaur Lady is about Mary Anning, the first paleontologist and OMG this book just screams me! Sure, I'm an adult but I still love an educational children's books full of pretty pictures! Seriously, this book got my nerd senses tingling. My positives: 1. The design of the cover is GORGEOUS. Patterns, bright colours that draw attention, bones for the title - it all just SCREAMS awesome sauce. And I haven't even opened the book yet! 2. The illustrations inside the book are even better. It's like walking into a museum but instead you're opening up a book. They are memorizing and stunning and gorgeous. So beautiful! 3. Educational terminology like ammonites and belemnites are words I haven't heard since my school days. Even the official names, petricola pholadiformis, made me get thrilled. So much smartiness in one book! And yes, I put a fake word for comedy's sake. I'm hilarious. 4. The story telling and plot is very intriguing and fun to follow. I was really interested since I didn't know Mary's story and now I want to research her! 5. Girl power! Who doesn't love a good story about a girl being totally wicked cool? 6. There are also facts at the back of this book. Who doesn't love a good appendix for learning? Especially when they include big words with definitions, timelines and more educational goodies for young learners! My negatives: 1. Mary's design doesn't perfectly match with the backgrounds, but that isn't much of a negative. It's more of an artistic pet peeve of mine. It affects the story in zero ways, but it's still something to consider. I don't think the target audience, kids, will care. Only very, very picky adults. Overall, this book is totally awesome! Whether it's for a bed time reading, general story time or for educational purposes, I would highly recommend adding this book to your shelf! I will definitely be looking for more books like this one in the near future! Five out of five stars!

I love picture book biographies! Young female scientists biographies are so important for find for our girls. This book has cross-over possibilities for boy readers too. Can't wait to share it with my kids!

"She sells seashells on the seashore." Many of us hear that tongue twister as children, but we do not hear the story of the woman it is based on. Mary Anning's life is described for us in this lovely picture book biography. We read of her collecting fossils and shells that her family sold to tourists to support themselves. With no formal training, she taught herself what to look for and discovered the skeleton of what was named "ichthyosaurus." Although she lived at a time when women were not expected or even allowed to be scientists, Mary made amazing finds in the field of fossils and the men who were allowed to pursue their scientific dreams came to her for answers. Illustrations show Mary climbing over cliffs and rocks, digging with her hammer and chisel in all kinds of weather. They also show "geologists, scientists, and scholars" trailing along behind her. Along with an author's note there are also a timeline of Miss Anning's life and "Bone Bits and Fossil Facts" among the back matter. Although we may feel frustrated on her behalf, at least we have the satisfaction that Mary's contributions to the field are finally being recognized. With books like these, young readers will have the chance to appreciate her perseverance and self-taught expertise.

This is a lovely book that has very appealing illustrations. The outdoor ones are in earth tones and show nature beautifully. Readers will learn the story of a young girl who had curiosity in abundance. Her discoveries led to the discovery of dinosaur bones and so much more. Mary studied and learned for her whole life; she became an expert even though she was not allowed to study in the all male universities of the time. Interestingly though male scholars came to her with their questions. Mary's story is well told. It is inspiring and I hope through this book will become better known. The end of the book contains additional helpful resources. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.