Julia Lyon

All those young collectors out there will be inspired by Ruth's hobby and determination.

Ruth Mason grew up in South Dakota and enjoyed heading outside to discover all sorts of things. In 1905, there was quite a bit of untouched land around her, and that's where she discovered the first of many bones. She collected them, knowing that they were special even when no one wanted to believe her. But after a very long time, that changed.

This is history masterfully woven into a story, which young readers can easily identify with. Ruth's desire to collect things is a hobby so many kids have done or do themselves...be it rocks or shells or leaves or whatever. No one else finds her collection overly important, but she continues since she enjoys doing it. It's a situation many can relate to. Ruth didn't let others damage her fun and continued to believe that her collection was special, even when she did it just for herself. Even when disappointing comments hit, she never dwells on them or lets it get her down.

The illustrations and text are very well done. Each scene comes across familiar although it is set in historical times. The small details give hints at Ruth's life on the prairie without ever having to be mentioned in the text. The words are fitting to the age group and only carry a few sentences on each page. It makes a great read aloud for small as well as larger groups.

The theme of dinosaur bones and how they've been discovered also carries a large importance in this read. It shows how ordinary people can make large discoveries, and how some of the displays in museums came to be. So, this also works as an introduction to science lessons or historical discussions on that front.

And for those, who are more sure of their words, it's simply a wonderful read. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed how well the history flows.… (plus d'informations)