Dinosaur Hunter (I Can Read Book 4)

From School Library Journal\nGrade 2-3-When Ned finds dinosaur bones on his father's Wyoming ranch in the 1880s, a fossil hunter tries to trick him into giving them up. However, the astute boy is able to outwit the swindler and eventually sells his treasure to a collector who promises to put the bones in a museum for all to enjoy. An author's note at the end tells of two paleontologists of the period. Illustrations in dull browns and blues are lightened by the red of Ned's shirt. Plenty of white space and the division of the story into six short chapters increase the book's accessibility, but the less than compelling plot makes it merely an adequate selection for transitional readers.
Anne Knickerbocker, formerly at Cedar Brook Elementary School, Houston, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.\nWyoming: the 1880s. Bone hunters comb the land, looking for dinosaur fossils. Ned Chapman works on his father's ranch and dreams of finding a dinosaur skeleton himself. When a violent storm washes out some old bones in the fields, Ned finds himself thrust right into the world of the bone hunters -- men so competitive that they will do anything to bring back the best specimen, even cheat each other!
Elaine Marie Alphin and Don Bolognese bring this fascinating slice of American history to life.\nFrom Booklist\nGr. 1-2. From the I Can Read series, this fictional story takes place in Wyoming in the 1880s. The morning after a storm, Ned is helping his father check the fences on their ranch when he discovers the bones of a triceratops. Outwitting a fossil hunter who tries to cheat him, Ned finds a better place to sell his find. In an appended note, Alphin gives background information about the noted fossil collectors and paleontologists of the period, who collected, prepared, and preserved the dinosaur skeletons that were coming to light in Wyoming and Montana. Bolognese contributes a series of sturdy line drawings, tinted with subtle shades of color that enhance the story rather than distracting the eyes. The clearly written story, historical context, western ranch setting, and, of course, the dinosaur connection also contribute to the book's appeal. Carolyn Phelan
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