The 50 State Fossils

Reviews / Votes

What youngster hasn't dreamed about finding interesting old fossils in the big dig he or she is making in the back yard? This fun non-fiction book will inspire youngsters to learn about the different states and the fossils that have been declared to represent each state. Not every state has one - three states have state dinosaurs and one has a state stone but no fossil and six have nothing, but the book includes recommendations for those states. A good introduction explains what fossils are and how they formed, excellent information about fossil hunting, and more. Then there are pages for each state that include a map of the state, a drawing of the animal or plant from which the fossil comes, well-written and well-researched information about the plant or animal, and a good photograph of the fossil. While many states have chosen dinosaurs, there are many other animals and some plants chosen - fish, sea creatures, trees, and other plants, even a special kind of wood. The variety is amazing and fun to read about. Budding paleontologists will love this book, as will kids interested in animals and fossils, which is just about every kid out there. -- Rosi Hollinbeck, San Francisco Book Review An impressively informative guidebook brings these ancient organisms to life. Each state entry contains details about the state fossil; an illustration of what the vertebrate, invertebrate, or plant looked like; a photograph or drawing of the fossil; and a state map showing where it can be found. Potential fossil candidates are proposed for states that do not yet have official state fossils, along with instructions on how to get state fossils designated. Of special note is the inclusion of an appendix that lists museums and parks where these fossils can be studied first-hand, making "The 50 State Fossils" a fun resource and inspiration for fossil enthusiasts and future paleontologists of all ages that is unreservedly recommended for family, school, and community library collections. -- Midwest Book Review, Children's Bookwatch Young fossil hunters and geographical trivia fanciers will find Yinan Wang's The 50 State Fossils: A Guidebook for Aspiring Paleontologists full of fascinating fossils. But this lively illustrated handbook is more than a gee-whiz look at geographical lore for the fifty states. Scientist Wang explains what fossils are and the different processes (premineralization, mineral replacement, carbonization and original remains preserved in tar or amber) by which they are formed and also offers a run-through of the terminology of time (eons, eras, and epochs) and taxonomy (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species) as background information for middle readers in understanding the paleontology of the United States.. There is a useful appendix--Glossary, Places to See Fossils, bibliography (Further Reading), and Index, including states and scientific terms. With color photographs and illustrative drawings by Jane Levy, this one is great for student doing science and geography research projects and browsers as well, and belongs in libraries serving elementary and middle school students. -- BooksForKidsBlog 50 State Fossils is one of those books a kid will carry to the museum to refer to while wandering through exhibits (I know I used to) and makes for a great book to give dino fans. It's a nice add to nonfiction collections and a good gift idea. -- Rosemary Kiladitis, Mom Read It This dense, state-by-state guidebook would make an excellent gift for a school-aged child consumed with a serious dinosaur obsession. Who wouldn't want to know exactly what kind of infamous dinosaur or prehistoric animal lived in their own backyard? (6 Non-Fiction Books for Dinosaur Obsessed Kids) -- The Children's Book Review