MORE REVIEWS!

I'm very pleased that BARNUM'S BONES received a lovely review from The Horn Book.  Here's the full review:


At and around the turn of the last century, an eccentric dinosaur hunter dedicated himself to the discovery of a new species, and amassed along the way a peerless collection of fossilized skeletons for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Barnum Brown develops his zeal for bone hunting early, following behind his father’s plow to gather unearthed fossils. He trains as a paleontologist and travels the American West, digging for a new discovery, often dressed to the nines in fur coat and bowler hat. Years of hunting produce a partial skeleton of an unknown carnivorous giant, and years more completed it: at last Tyrannosaurus rex is discovered. Fern’s colorful narrative fairly bubbles with Barnum’s irrepressible fervor as he battles everything from mosquitoes to Andrew Carnegie to establish his legacy. Kulikov’s bright, saturated paintings with unusual perspectives and evocative use of light and shadow bring the landscapes of the cultured city and Wild West to vivid life. Clever illustrative details—imagined dinosaur silhouettes, capricious dinosaur expressions, abundant bits of torn maps—add a level of fun all their own, reflecting Barnum’s indefatigable enthusiasm. An author’s note and selected bibliography round out this informative, inspirational story of one man’s curious, undeniable passion. thom barthelmess

First Review - A Star From Kirkus!

 

Barnum's Coming!

I'm very excited that my newest picture book, Barnum's Bones, illustrated by the fabulous Boris Kulikov, will be published next month.  I'm thrilled and honored that Kirkus Reviews gave Barnum a starred review in their April edition!!  Here's what Kirkus had to say:

 
Presenting Barnum Brown, who, from the time he was named for circus impresario P.T., was destined to do unusual, important things.

Obsessed from childhood with fossils—and blessed with an uncanny knack for finding them—Brown began hunting dinosaurs in the American West in the late 19th century. He was hired by New York’s Museum of Natural History to find specimens, since that institution had no dinosaur collection at the time. Discover them Brown did, though he didn’t unearth any new species—until, after several years of painstaking labor, he discovered the bones, including an intact skull, of the new creature he’d longed to find, later dubbed Tyrannosaurus rex. His “favorite child” took the world by storm, and the dapper Brown, in a career spanning more than six decades, went on to discover more dinosaur fossils than anyone. Fern fills her text with all the salient facts but uses a breezy, humorous, awestruck voice that strikes just the right tone in telling the story of this fascinating, quirky scientist. Kulikov’s wittily energetic, earth-toned watercolors enliven the text and add to the fun and interest.

Children who gawp at dinosaur exhibits will realize a new appreciation for those who devote their lives to finding and resurrecting extraordinary animals from eons past. And who doesn’t love T. rex? (author’s note, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 7-11)

Stay tuned for more Barnum news and reviews, coming soon!