ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
SCIENCE
Stevens, Alison Pearce

Rhinos in Nebraska: The Amazing Discovery of the Ashfall Fossil Beds

144 pp. | Holt/Godwin | July, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-250-26657-6 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-250-26658-3 $10.99
(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Huynh. For many years, people in northern Nebraska found fossilized bones so often around a certain hillside that they called it Bone Hill. Over the course of several decades, multiple teams of scientists came to discover a treasure trove of complete animal skeletons fossilized in the ashy ground surrounding Bone Hill. But the fossils were so delicate that, instead of transferring them to a lab somewhere, workers built a lab around the hill, creating the space that would become the Ashfall Fossil Beds, a state park where visitors can still view scientists at work. Stevens starts by describing the ancient creatures that roamed Ashfall, then discusses the supervolcano whose ash was the animals' demise. With this intriguing hook in place, she moves on to the scientists' work to discover the mysteries behind the abundant fossil remains at Ashfall. Black-and-white photos alternate with Huynh's comic-style spot- and full-page art to bring the scenes to life. Stevens's light tone ("How did the researchers know the young rhinos' ages? They couldn't very well ask them. But they could [and did] check their teeth"), short chapters, and plenty of white space should appeal to many young fossil-hounds, although excessive detail in some places may leave less-enthralled readers in the dust. Words in bold appear throughout, defined in a glossary at the back; an author's note, resources for further study, and an index are also appended.
Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

RELATED 

SCIENCE

How to Build an Insect
by Gibson, Roberta
SCIENCE

A Quick History of Math
by Gifford, Clive
SCIENCE

Butterflies Are Pretty...Gross!
by Mosco, Rosemary
SCIENCE

Summertime Sleepers
by Stewart, Melissa
SCIENCE

Birds
by Krestovnikoff, Miranda
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?