The Fossil Whisperer: How Wendy Sloboda Discovered a Dinosaur

With this personable biography, Becker and Dumais shine a spotlight on Canadian paleontologist Wendy Sloboda (b. 1970), who found her first fossil at age 12. Centering on Sloboda’s most significant discoveries and her “rare eye for the unusual,” the chronological book begins with the figure as an inquisitive schoolchild who, during a field trip to Alberta’s badlands, spots fossilized coral. Other discoveries follow, including a shard of fossilized eggshell (which led researchers to the location of pristine fossilized Hypacrosaurus eggs and embryos) and a full skeleton from the late cretaceous (dubbed the Wendiceratops). Dumais’s digital art has a hand-colored feel; cheerful scenes primarily showcase the work that goes into paleontology. Becker’s easygoing, exclamation-filled prose, meanwhile, makes Sloboda’s interest feel relatable, amplifying the joy of scientific discovery. Extensive back matter includes further information, timeline, activity, glossary, and more resources. Ages 4–8. (June)