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A Dinosaur Named Ruth: How Ruth Mason Discovered Fossils in Her Own Backyard Kindle Edition

4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 104 ratings

For fans of Shark Lady and from the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Dr. Fauci comes the incredible true story of a girl who discovered dinosaur bones in her own backyard and, after years of persistence, helped uncover one of the most exciting paleontological discoveries of our time.

There’s an extraordinary secret hidden just beneath Ruth Mason’s feet. The year is 1905, and Ruth is a prairie girl living in South Dakota. She has no way of knowing that millions of years ago, her family farm was once home to scores of dinosaurs. Until one day, when Ruth starts finding clues to the past: strange rocks and rubble scattered all across her land. They’re dinosaur fossils—but she doesn’t know that yet, either. It will take many years of collecting these clues, and many,
many questions, but Ruth’s curiosity will one day help uncover thousands of fossils all across her land.

New York Times bestselling illustrator Alexandra Bye’s vibrant illustrations bring to life this inspiring and exciting debut picture book from award-winning journalist Julia Lyon.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

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, NCα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"An inspiring tale of resilience and dedication...and a most interesting addition to the world of dinosaur hunting." — Kirkus Reviews

"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....This would be a great choice for reading aloud during fossil or dinosaur units. A strong selection for picture biography collections, especially where there are gaps on the women in STEM shelves." —
School Library Journal

"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." —
Booklist

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08W5GVY5J
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Margaret K. McElderry Books (November 2, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 2, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 20714 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 104 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
104 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story compelling and interesting. They praise the writing style and vivid illustrations. The book is described as an inspiring true story that encourages curiosity and persistence in young readers. It's a fun read for all ages, with beautiful artwork.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

10 customers mention "Story quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the story compelling and interesting. They say it's a true story about curiosity, dedication, and hard work. Readers also mention that the book is worth further investigation and a treasure.

"This is a true story about a girl who finds fossils in her backyard and insists to anyone who will listen that it's worth further investigation...." Read more

"A wonderful story about the tenacity of a girl who had an inquisitive mind and a backyard full of dinosaur bones...." Read more

"...but it's such a cool and inspiring story that any kids (or adult) will love it...." Read more

"This fascinating and true story is so well written and vividly illustrated that it is sure to inspire young readers' imaginations...." Read more

10 customers mention "Writing style"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style and illustrations. They find the story well-written and educational, with vivid illustrations that inspire. The text is light, inviting, and perfect for children ages 4-8.

"...They all commented how much they loved the story and the illustrations, many noting the ¨ghost¨ dinosaurs and we focused in on one of my favorite..." Read more

"...Ms. Lyon does a beautiful job telling the story of one piece of land, connecting what Ruth found during her curious childhood to what happened there..." Read more

"...And even have a dino named after you - go Ruth! The story is beautifully written and the art makes me want to head straight to South Dakota!..." Read more

"This fascinating and true story is so well written and vividly illustrated that it is sure to inspire young readers' imaginations...." Read more

3 customers mention "Age range"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book suitable for all ages. They say it encourages curiosity and persistence, which are positive traits to instill in children. The story is inspiring, and it will spark young readers' imaginations.

"...The text is light, inviting, and perfect for children ages 4-8...." Read more

"...but it's such a cool and inspiring story that any kids (or adult) will love it...." Read more

"...impressed with her curiosity and persistence - wonderful traits to encourage in other children...." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fun and engaging for young children. They say it's a true story about perseverance.

"I love this book. A story of a girl growing up in South Dakota, who just knows that the strange rocks she keeps finding are something more...." Read more

"A great read for young children (ages 4-8) about a true story of perseverance and patience. Beautifully illustrated." Read more

"Great book..." Read more

A PB biography that will inspire a new generation of fossil hunters!
5 out of 5 stars
A PB biography that will inspire a new generation of fossil hunters!
This is a true story about a girl who finds fossils in her backyard and insists to anyone who will listen that it's worth further investigation. After a lifetime of writing letters to every dinosaur expert she can find, Ruth's persistence pays off. Those experts come, they stay, and they find more dinosaurs that they ever imagined!Author Julia Lyon writes elegantly. The text is light, inviting, and perfect for children ages 4-8. Ms. Lyon does a beautiful job telling the story of one piece of land, connecting what Ruth found during her curious childhood to what happened there in the time of the dinosaurs.Alexandra Bye has created many colorful and intriguing illustrations that bring us back in time - to the dinosaur time, to Ruth's time, and into the dinosaur museums of today.No child will ever look at the dirt in their backyard without imagining the possibilities, and many children will be inspired to dig!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2023
    My 4th graders read A Dinosaur Named Ruth today, perfect for the celebration of Women's History Month and the start of our fossil studies. One student asked, ¨Why did it take so long?¨ and we had a great discussion about why Ruth's discoveries were poo-pooed by the scientific community back then. It was a stark contrast to the article they'd read about 9 year old Molly Sampson finding a Megalodon tooth. They all commented how much they loved the story and the illustrations, many noting the ¨ghost¨ dinosaurs and we focused in on one of my favorite parts of figurative language: alliteration.
    Ruth helps show all kids to stay curious and not give up on your dream.
    One student noted the wrap around ending of fossils coming out of Ruth's pocket to share with the world. I'm so glad she did and that Julia Lyons told the story.

    My writing teacher, fossil-author heart is happy.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2021
    This is a true story about a girl who finds fossils in her backyard and insists to anyone who will listen that it's worth further investigation. After a lifetime of writing letters to every dinosaur expert she can find, Ruth's persistence pays off. Those experts come, they stay, and they find more dinosaurs that they ever imagined!

    Author Julia Lyon writes elegantly. The text is light, inviting, and perfect for children ages 4-8. Ms. Lyon does a beautiful job telling the story of one piece of land, connecting what Ruth found during her curious childhood to what happened there in the time of the dinosaurs.

    Alexandra Bye has created many colorful and intriguing illustrations that bring us back in time - to the dinosaur time, to Ruth's time, and into the dinosaur museums of today.

    No child will ever look at the dirt in their backyard without imagining the possibilities, and many children will be inspired to dig!
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars A PB biography that will inspire a new generation of fossil hunters!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2021
    This is a true story about a girl who finds fossils in her backyard and insists to anyone who will listen that it's worth further investigation. After a lifetime of writing letters to every dinosaur expert she can find, Ruth's persistence pays off. Those experts come, they stay, and they find more dinosaurs that they ever imagined!

    Author Julia Lyon writes elegantly. The text is light, inviting, and perfect for children ages 4-8. Ms. Lyon does a beautiful job telling the story of one piece of land, connecting what Ruth found during her curious childhood to what happened there in the time of the dinosaurs.

    Alexandra Bye has created many colorful and intriguing illustrations that bring us back in time - to the dinosaur time, to Ruth's time, and into the dinosaur museums of today.

    No child will ever look at the dirt in their backyard without imagining the possibilities, and many children will be inspired to dig!
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Customer image
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2023
    A wonderful story about the tenacity of a girl who had an inquisitive mind and a backyard full of dinosaur bones. I would be very interested to learn if they still allow children to come visit and dig for bones. I got this from the library and the kids loved it so much, I may have to buy a physical copy.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2022
    Of course dino-loving kids will eat this up (who wouldn't want to dream about digging up so many dinosaur bones in your backyard), but it's such a cool and inspiring story that any kids (or adult) will love it. Personally, I love how it touches on how hard it was (and can still be) for a woman, especially a rural woman outside of academia, to be taken seriously. But that with persistence, you can still be eventually be heard. And even have a dino named after you - go Ruth! The story is beautifully written and the art makes me want to head straight to South Dakota! A treasure of a book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2021
    This fascinating and true story is so well written and vividly illustrated that it is sure to inspire young readers' imaginations. I enjoyed learning about this remarkable little girl, Ruth, was especially impressed with her curiosity and persistence - wonderful traits to encourage in other children. I will happily pass along gift copies to at least 3 young girls that I know who will love reading it as much as I have. Mary Levering
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2021
    I bought this book as a gift for my 8 year-old daughter. It is beautifully written and told a compelling true story about curiosity, dedication and hard work. I definitely recommend this book, for both children and parents. My daughter and I enjoyed reading this together both for the writing style and illustrations. I enjoyed this book so much I bought two extra copies to give to my nieces.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2021
    My son has shown an interest in non-fiction and I thought this was an interesting story for him, and he loved it! Especially how many different kind of bones were found, and naming the dinosaur in the UK after Ruth. And the back part with more details from the author about Ruth and the whole process was interesting to him, too. And he especially loved the pictures.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2022
    A wonderful story about patience and perseverance. The true story of how Ruth Mason found dinosaur bones in her backyard and finally got the world to take notice. A fun read for any kid who loves dinosaurs, fossils, or searching for interesting things in their backyard.

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