Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards by Jim Ottaviani and Big TIme Attic. G.T. Labs, 2005. ISBN-10: 0966010663, Q5/4P
This graphic novel gives us a historical twist while entertaining us with crazy stories of dinosaur excavations. As the professor goes on the hunt for the next great discovery, readers are taken back in time. This book would be a fun addition history lesson for 5th-6th graders regarding the late 19th century.
-Christina Gendron
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APA Citation
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Ottaviani, J. and Big Time Attic (2005). Bone sharps, cowboys and thunder lizards: A tale of Edward Drinker Cope, Othniel Charles Marsh and the gilded age of paleontology. Ann Arbor, MI: GT Labs.
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ISBN
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0-9660106-6-3
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Rating
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4Q/5P
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Top 10
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no
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Media
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Sepia-toned ink on antiqued paper
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Grades/Subject
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7+; history, ethics, biology
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Annotation
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In the race to establish dominance in the field of paleontology, Marsh and Cope will make ghastly mistakes and run themselves into the grave, losing everything to their obsessions.
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sk 4.27.08
Art: Black and white ink drawings in an early 1900’s style.
Genre and Themes: Fiction, Historical, American History
Age Range: Grades 9-11
What the book is about: Centering on the paleontological discoveries in the American West of the 1900’s, this is a richly told story about the positive and negative effects of the competitive spirit. The authors use historical details and records to tell a story that is rich in science and drama.
Notes: There is a great endnote section that goes through each story element and notes what is fact and what is fiction.
Ratings: P4/Q5
JMB 04/29/08
Ottaviani, J. & Big Time Attic. (2005). Bone sharps, cowboys, and thunder lizards: Edward Drinker Cope, Othniel Charles Marsh and the Gilded Age of paleontology. Ann Arbor, MI: General Textronics Labs. ISBN: 9780966010664
4Q/4Q
From the gilded cities of the east coast to the untamed west, betrayal and sabotage mark the fierce competition between two ambitious paleontologists seeking fame and fortune for the greatest dinosaur discoveries. The authors provide extensive notes and references for readers to learn what was fact and fiction in the creation of the story.
Media: Sepia- and grey-toned and black ink illustrations on cream-colored paper lend to the setting of a bygone era.
This book provides more insight into the competitive aspects of paleontology when dinosaur hunters were attempting to locate the greatest discoveries. Although fiction is woven with facts, there are plenty of historical elements that illustrate a deeper understanding of how life was in the mid-19th century, from the east to west migration of citizens and their encroachment upon Native American lands. Thus, more may be gleaned from this book for a social studies curriculum.
TK 4/29/08
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