LIGHTNING MARY

Mary Anning rocks on in this down-to-earth retelling of the unusual life story of the 19th-century fossil hunter extraordinaire.

Anning’s strong, idiosyncratic personality bursts forth from the opening pages of this bold first-person narrative. Anning despises typical feminine pursuits and prefers to go “fossicking” with her father on the treacherous Blue Lias clay cliffs near Lyme Regis in Dorset in the south of England. Her grit and determination give her a head start in locating and extracting many valuable fossils, which she sells to boost the family budget. Her Dissenter father causes her to question the biblical story of Creation, since it is obvious to her that fossils have been buried in the Earth for a long time. Anning faces many obstacles; she is poor, female, working class, and has to work to ward off starvation. By chance encounters through the sale of her wares, she learns from the famous geologists of the day and begins to understand the real significance of her discoveries. Her discovery of the ichthyosaur sets her on the path to fame and a better standard of living, but she remains cynical and bitter about ever becoming recognized for her achievements. Anning’s rebellious spirit and fascination with science will resonate with curious readers.

Fascinating portrait of a great role model for adventurous youth who are interested in science.