February 2024 marks a special anniversary: that of the 200th anniversary of the publication of the first complete specimen of Plesiosaurus! As this first good specimen of this world-famous creature was originally discovered by the extraordinary Mary Anning, it’s only fitting that I should review a couple of books about her life in conjunction with this auspicious occasion. I received a pair of Mary Anning books a while back, both called (The) Fossil Hunter, which should do nicely!
First up, we have The Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Unearthed the Truth About the Dinosaurs, both written and illustrated by Kate Winter. Compared to the other book I will be reviewing, this one is presented in more of a “storybook” type format. Each page is fully illustrated, sometimes in full page illustrations, and sometimes in multiple inserts (typically depicting a certain sequence of events, though in one instance showcasing a series of the typical, smaller fossils Mary would find).
A trio of fold-out pages make for nice breaks in the story. The first of them depicts an imaginative scene of Mary interacting with live representatives of some of the sea reptiles she discovered, and the third is arranged to look like the reader is opening up a “cabinet of curiosities” full of fossils, a common sight in wealthy people’s homes at the time.
The second one comes after her discovery of Dimorphodon, and shows her surrounded by many of the different pterosaurs that have been discovered since her time (including an early-Mark-Witton-style Quetzalcoatlus). This image is also used for the book’s cover. I found it curious that the book neither mentioned her own pterosaur by name, nor depicted it amongst the flock on the fold-out page, but the illustration is striking nonetheless.
Unlike many other Mary Anning picture books, Winter’s book covers a pretty broad perspective of her life, including her single trip to London (and the only known time she left her hometown of Lyme Regis), as well as her unfortunate early death due to breast cancer. It places a strong focus on the lack of recognition she received for most of her discoveries, and uniquely places this into context among the many other groups of people who also did not receive recognition for their contributions to science.
Like Dinosaur Lady and Stone Girl, Bone Girl, the subtitle and a couple of pages in the book attempt to shoehorn dinosaurs into Mary’s story, though not egregiously so. It’s relatively clear from the information provided that dinosaurs are tangential to Mary’s discoveries, even as the book uses them to attract laypeople who don’t necessarily know better.
The second book under review today is Fossil Hunter: How Mary Anning Changed the Science of Prehistoric Life written by Cheryl Blackford. Like Mary Anning’s Curiosity, this one is written in the form of a short chapter book, though there is slightly less focus on a narrative-driven story, and it is presented in a more “factual” fashion (both in comparison to Mary Anning’s Curiosity and to The Fossil Hunter).
While in Winter’s book the illustrations are just as much a draw as the story, Blackford’s focus is on the information presented, with the occasional illustrations licensed from pre-existing sources. In addition to numerous historical illustrations and scientific figures (including Mary’s own skeletal diagrams), Blackford also includes some modern paleoart from John Sibbick, Mark Witton, and Joschua Knüppe. The writing is aimed at somewhat older audiences; while I am bad at estimating these things, based on my own children’s proclivities, I’d say Blackford’s book is most ideal for kids at least 10 years old and up.
I appreciated the extent to which Blackford included direct quotes from many of the individuals mentioned. I felt some satisfaction that while Mary did indeed not receive the recognition she should have, by the latter half of her career important scientists were at least openly acknowledging her contributions in a general way, even if they still did not credit her work in their scientific publications. Blackford also includes many quotes from Mary, attempting to get into her head as much as possible. She even takes the time to piece together some clues as to Mary’s thoughts on the wider implications of her discoveries, noting that Mary had hand-copied a footnote from a publication by William Conybeare & William Phillip in which they discussed whether creatures truly went extinct or not, though frustratingly a single letter in which she muses on the general possibility of connections between “creatures of the former and present World” is all the clarification we have on her thoughts on the matter.
Blackford’s book is remarkably thorough for a short chapter book aimed at youngish audiences, and I applaud her commitment to the facts and details. Records of little moments were included that added a layer of depth to Mary’s life I had previously lacked. Letters describing her personality, and her own mournful letter regarding the death of her dog Tray, made her seem so much more human than even the most engrossing storybooks about her manage.
So, final thoughts on these two: I think they’re both pretty great! They are both far more detailed than I had come to expect of children’s books about Mary Anning, and a both an engaging read. If you only ever got one, I suppose I would recommend Blackford’s Fossil Hunter, as it is the more precise of the two with its information. But if you are looking for a book pitched to younger readers that can be enjoyed without having to grow into it, then Winter’s The Fossil Hunter might be more your speed. I myself enjoyed both, however, and I am pleased to give my Dino Dad Stomp of Approval to them together! For more books on Mary Anning, check out my reviews of Dinosaur Lady, Mary Anning’s Curiosity, Stone Girl, Bone Girl, and The Dog That Dug For Dinosaurs. She also makes cameo appearances in many other books I’ve reviewed as well, especially those with a historical focus, so consider browsing around the rest of my site, as well!
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