Barnum's Bones - PB Biography Review

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My post is working extra hard today - as I am counting it for my daily Slice challenge in March and hooking up with Kid Lit Frenzy's weekly nonfiction picture book challenge. 
We all know them - children who are completely fascinated by dinosaurs. We've all met little ones who can pronounce latin names that are larger than their own legs, right? So often the kids know a lot about the creatures but nothing about the men and women who helped us learn about them. The intrepid paleontologists who brave the elements to dig out the fragile evidence left behind by these amazing former residents of planet Earth.

How better to introduce these budding paleontologists to those who came before them than by teaching them about the man who discovered "the most famous dinosaur in the world"?

Barnum's Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World
by Tracey Fern, Boris Kulikov (Illustrations)

36 pages
Published May 22nd 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ISBN 0374305161 (ISBN13: 9780374305161)
Source: School library

Goodreads Description: Barnum Brown's (1873-1963) parents named him after the circus icon P.T. Barnum, hoping that he would do something extraordinary--and he did! As a paleonotologist for the American Museum of Natural History, he discovered the first documented skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, as well as most of the other dinosaurs on display there today.


My Thoughts: 
It begins with the phenomenal beginning end papers that display drawings of actual notes from Barnum Brown. I love how the dinosaur skeleton is clutching red book - possibly his journal. We learn about how he got his unusual name and see that Barnum's bedroom as a child is a disaster!

The illustrations are delightful, full of unexpected perspectives and old fashioned sights. Children will love finding the dinosaur silhouettes and little details on the maps. Even the back cover is adorable, with the T-Rex holding the ISBN tag in his sharp little claws. A wonderful introduction to biography, this picture book will intrigue, entertain, and teach. Maybe you'll even find a few more little ones who become fascinated by the world long ago!

Highly Recommended!



I'm participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, hosted by the amazing educators at Two Writing Teachers. Stop by to see what others are posting!

Also - if you stop by and comment, and you are also slicing - PLEASE feel free to include your URL in the comments. With over 200 people slicing, it is often hard to go find your specific link on the Two Writing Teachers page, and I'd love to come read YOUR slice too!

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