Review by Booklist Review
Some kids dream of discovering a dinosaur buried in the backyard, but Ruth Mason actually saw that dream come true. She loved to wander her family's South Dakota property and, in the early 1900s, occasionally spotted fossils protruding from the ground. Intrigued, Mason collected fossils and arranged a rocky "garden" in the yard, organizing the discoveries into patterns. She wrote to museums and universities, hoping that someone would examine her backyard treasure trove. Though Mason was dismissed again and again, she never did stop writing, and many years later, a fossil hunter finally materialized at her door. He recognized the fossils' value, and soon the land was humming with paleontologists, students, and scientists, with finds from Mason's ranch making their way to displays around the world. In this sweet, satisfying story, the vivid digital illustrations glow with warmth, conjuring the vast Badlands alongside the coziness of Mason's rural life. Back matter includes details about Mason and suggestions for further reading. An appealing ode to perseverance, the pleasure in sharing passions, and the thrill of discovery.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Starting with Ruth Mason's childhood in 1905 South Dakota, where "no one thought much of the strange rubble"--the fossils she collects near her home, Lyon and Bye profile a white, "curious girl who discovered a lost world beneath her busy feet" in this told-you-so telling. Though she writes to museums and universities, which deem her finds "worthless," Mason "knew enough about the land to know that what she kept finding wasn't ordinary." She spreads her collection beneath nearby elms, creating a bone garden of "ancient secrets harvested from her land." After a fossil hunter called Rick Brooks arrives in Mason's 80th year, a group of experts finds "thousands of bones, representing at least ninety-nine dinosaurs" near her Badlands home. Digital art shows Mason's world in jewel tones, bringing the vibrancy of her certitude, and her finds, to portrayals of the landscape, the fossils, and tables covered in a lifetime's worth of letters. Back matter includes an author's note and further reading. Ages 4--8. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--4--In this charming picture book biography, readers learn about Ruth Mason, a little-known contributor to the world of dinosaurs. Mason grew up in South Dakota in the early 1900s. She would often find bones in her backyard and started to collect them. After years of collecting and writing to experts, Mason was visited by a fossil hunter who confirmed that her treasures were indeed fossils that were millions of years old. Students will be able to identify with Mason's curiosity and wonder. The digital illustrations enhance the text with their soft colors and whimsical sensibility. Further reading suggestions are provided. This would be a great choice for reading aloud during fossil or dinosaur units. VERDICT A strong selection for picture biography collections, especially where there are gaps on the women in STEM shelves.--V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elem. Sch., Raleigh, NC
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Review by Horn Book Review
Growing up in South Dakota in the early twentieth century, Ruth Mason was curious about the "bones" she collected in her backyard. Decades of inquiries to museums and universities yielded no results until finally, in 1979, a fossil hunter arrived and the incredible fossil beds (at what became Ruth Mason Quarry) were uncovered. Ninety-nine different kinds of dinosaur fossils and ten complete skeletons went to museums all around the world. Cartoon-like digital images of Mason at different ages in her prairie home will sustain reader interest in this (partly fictionalized) biography, and although the text occasionally conflates fossils and bones, its message of persistence will play well. An author's note and bibliography round out this light fare. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
"Ruth Mason was forever curious about her own backyard." In 1905, near her family's log home in South Dakota, a 7-year-old White girl named Ruth Mason found her first dinosaur bone. Accessible text bubbles with enthusiasm and provides a straightforward narrative while colorful illustrations show the bright-eyed, full-bodied heroine who continues to search for and find bones on the prairie, undeterred by the lack of interest of those around her. Unlike those of her English parallel, Mary Anning, Ruth Mason's discoveries went unrecognized; despite the numerous letters she wrote to various institutions, no one came to investigate until a dinosaur hunter visited her ranch while Mason was in her 80s and drew attention to what she'd found. Multiple digs followed, and now many specimens are featured in museum collections, including one in Wales known simply as "Ruth." The endnotes explain the difficulties of finding information and obtaining an education during this period but do not mention the additional challenge of being a girl interested in science, which would have further highlighted her uniqueness. Still, this is an inspiring tale of resilience and dedication, a paean to the art of performing a task for its own sake, and a most interesting addition to the world of dinosaur hunting. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An intriguing look into the early 20th century that features a strong female hero and--most importantly--dinosaurs. (further reading) (Picture book/biography. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
