Lightning Mary

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Ordinary is what most people are and I am not. I am not ordinary at all. I am a scientist.

One stormy night, a group of villagers are struck by lightning. The only survivor is a baby--Mary Anning. From that moment on, a spark is lit within her.
Growing up poor but proud on the windswept Dorset coast, Mary follows after her father, hunting for fossils uncovered by waves and landslips: ancient creatures, turned to stone. Ignoring other people's taunts, Mary faces danger to bring back valuable treasures to help feed her family. But tragedy and despair is never far away. Mary must depend upon her unique courage and knowledge to fulfill her dream of becoming a scientist in a time when girls have no opportunities for such ambitions. What will happen when she makes her greatest discovery of all? With a factual section about Mary Anning, her life, and the discoveries she made.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Kirkus Book Review

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. (biographical notes, fossils and fossil-hunting, information about girls in STEM) (Biography. 9-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.