Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery

Unearth the extraordinary contributions Mary Morland made to 19th-century paleontology by pursuing her passion in spite of society's expectations in this "delightful" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) picture book biography with a question-and-answer structure perfect for reading aloud.

While other little girls were sipping tea perched on their chairs, Mary Morland was given the freedom to spend her time outside exploring. After her mother died, her father sent her to live with a professor who taught Mary how to examine plants, animals, rocks, and fossils. She soaked up all the knowledge she could and captured her discoveries in her journals. Mary continued studying and drawing fossils into adulthood, becoming a prominent fossil hunter whose finds impressed leading scientists of the day.

Eventually, Mary bonded with William Buckland, England's best fossilist, over their love of paleontology, and the two got married. Together, they introduced the world to Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur that lived on land. At the time, William received credit for their accomplishments while Mary worked from the shadows. This book shines a spotlight on Mary, celebrating her irrepressible spirit, her unconventional life, and her endless enthusiastic pursuit of prehistoric knowledge.

Author: Jane Kurtz
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Published: 02/24/2026
Pages: 48
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 11.20h x 8.70w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781665955546
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 01/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2025
Publishers Weekly 11/24/2025

About the Author
Jane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but spent most of her childhood in Ethiopia. Jane speaks about being an author at schools and conferences and helped start Ethiopia Reads (EthiopiaReads.org), a nonprofit that has opened the first libraries for children in Ethiopia. She is the author of many books for children, including The Bone Wars, illustrated by Alexander Vidal; What Do They Do with All that Poo?, illustrated by Allison Black; Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts?, illustrated by Jane Manning; Anna Was Here; Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros, illustrated by Claire Messer; and the American Girl book Lanie.

Giselle Potter has illustrated many books, including Once Upon a Fairy Tale House by Mary Lyn Ray, Try It! by Mara Rockliff, All by Himself? by Elana K. Arnold, and Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne, as well as her own Tell Me What to Dream About, This Is My Dollhouse, and The Year I Didn't Go to School, about traveling through Italy with her parents' puppet troupe when she was eight. She lives in Rosendale, New York, with her husband and two daughters. Visit her at GisellePotter.com.