Stone Girl, Bone Girl: the story of Mary Anning was written by Laurence Anholt and illustrated by Sheila Moxley. It was published in 1998 by Orchard Books and is a biographical children’s book about Mary Anning and young fossil hunter who makes a huge discovery at the age of 12.
Mary Anning was born in England and when she was only a baby she was struck by lightening. Her parents didn’t think she could survive something like that, but Mary surprised her parents and started out her life in an extraordinary way. She kept up her extraordinary ways after her father, Pepper, showed her a fossil down by the sea. Mary was fascinated and spent all of her time their looking for “curiosities,” as she called them. As time went on Mary developed a large collection of curiosities, but she did not develop a large amount of friends because she spent all of her time along by the sea. The other kids would tease her and sing, “Stone girl, Bone girl. Out-on-your-own Girl!” Mary would always run back to her father who she loved most anyways. One day she met some of her father’s friends, the Philpot sisters, who also collected curiosities. They told Mary about a sea monster hidden somewhere in the cliffs by the sea that would be a great treasure to find. Mary’s father soon grew ill and her story saddens with his death, but a dog finds Mary and helps her keep looking for her treasures. Mary begins to sell her curiosities to help her mother support the two of them. Then one day Mary and her puppy find the sea monster that the Philpot sisters had talked about! Mary became known as the “Fossil Girl” and made enough money from her discovery for her and her mother to live off of for the rest of their lives.
This story has a lot of sadness in it, but it also has a happy ending. I thought it spoke a lot to individualism, because Mary did not fit in with her peers. She sticks with her passion though and makes a huge discovery that even adults could not find. I also thought this book did a good job of dealing with death. Losing a parent is one of the scariest things for kids, and talking about it or reading about it might make it easier for kids to not be so worried about their parents dying. The pictures in the story were really colorful. They really helped tell the story by giving visuals of where Mary was searching for fossils. I loved the little fossils that were drawn in the rocks, it makes the reader know where the sea monster is hidden before Mary even finds it. This is exciting for kids and helps them understand about fossils more. Overall I thought this was a great example of a biography for younger children.
Mary Anning was born in England and when she was only a baby she was struck by lightening. Her parents didn’t think she could survive something like that, but Mary surprised her parents and started out her life in an extraordinary way. She kept up her extraordinary ways after her father, Pepper, showed her a fossil down by the sea. Mary was fascinated and spent all of her time their looking for “curiosities,” as she called them. As time went on Mary developed a large collection of curiosities, but she did not develop a large amount of friends because she spent all of her time along by the sea. The other kids would tease her and sing, “Stone girl, Bone girl. Out-on-your-own Girl!” Mary would always run back to her father who she loved most anyways. One day she met some of her father’s friends, the Philpot sisters, who also collected curiosities. They told Mary about a sea monster hidden somewhere in the cliffs by the sea that would be a great treasure to find. Mary’s father soon grew ill and her story saddens with his death, but a dog finds Mary and helps her keep looking for her treasures. Mary begins to sell her curiosities to help her mother support the two of them. Then one day Mary and her puppy find the sea monster that the Philpot sisters had talked about! Mary became known as the “Fossil Girl” and made enough money from her discovery for her and her mother to live off of for the rest of their lives.
This story has a lot of sadness in it, but it also has a happy ending. I thought it spoke a lot to individualism, because Mary did not fit in with her peers. She sticks with her passion though and makes a huge discovery that even adults could not find. I also thought this book did a good job of dealing with death. Losing a parent is one of the scariest things for kids, and talking about it or reading about it might make it easier for kids to not be so worried about their parents dying. The pictures in the story were really colorful. They really helped tell the story by giving visuals of where Mary was searching for fossils. I loved the little fossils that were drawn in the rocks, it makes the reader know where the sea monster is hidden before Mary even finds it. This is exciting for kids and helps them understand about fossils more. Overall I thought this was a great example of a biography for younger children.
A Biographical Poem on Mary Anning:
MaryExtraordinary, Loner, Exploratory, Perservering
Daughter of Pepper, mentee to the Philpot Sister’s, friend of the little dog,Lover of curiosities, Pepper and exploring.Who feels fascinated by fossils, worried for her father and a bit left out by her peers.Who finds happiness in discoveriesWho gives support for those who don’t fit in.
Who would like to see the alleged sea monster that the Philpot sisters talked about.
Who enjoys digging up cool things from the earth.
Resident of Lyme Regis, England.
Anning
Daughter of Pepper, mentee to the Philpot Sister’s, friend of the little dog,Lover of curiosities, Pepper and exploring.Who feels fascinated by fossils, worried for her father and a bit left out by her peers.Who finds happiness in discoveriesWho gives support for those who don’t fit in.
Who would like to see the alleged sea monster that the Philpot sisters talked about.
Who enjoys digging up cool things from the earth.
Resident of Lyme Regis, England.
Anning
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