When Mary was little, her family was impoverished. She used to help her dad to comb for shells and bones up high on dangerous cliffs. After receiving a book as a gift from a kind benefactor, Mary learned all about fossils. She continued to hunt for them and made the startling discovery of a complete skeleton of an ichthyosaur. Sadly, she wasn't allowed to study with all the other men. Still, she carried on making her discoveries—including dinosaur poo!—and advising the Geological Society when they needed help. It took a lifetime to receive recognition, but we all remember her now as the mother of paleontology.

Recommended for ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages