Little People Big Dreams: Mary Anning

Meet Mary Anning, the first palaeontologist, and daring fossil hunter.

When Mary was little, her family was very poor. She used to help her dad to comb for shells and bones up high on dangerous cliffs. After receiving a book as a gift from a kind benefactor, Mary learned all about fossils. She continued to hunt for them and made the startling discovery of a complete skeleton of an ichthyosaur. Sadly, she wasn’t allowed to study along with all the other men, but she carried on making her own discoveries—including dinosaur poo!—and advising the Geological Society when they needed help. It took a lifetime to receive recognition but we all remember her now as the mother of palaeontology. This roar-some book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the palaeontologist’s life.