The Griffin and the Dinosaur: How Adrienne Mayor Discovered a Fascinating Link Between Myth and Science

"Readers interested in mythology and paleontology will be intrigued. (glossary/index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)"

Gr 5-8--Aronson has come together with folklorist/historian Mayor to create this intriguing account of how ancient people conceived of the griffin. How did the ancients come to dream up these amazing creatures? Were they the result of creative minds? Or was there something in the environment that led people to believe in these phenomena, such as how the mythical Cyclops and water monsters bear great resemblance to the bones of ancient dinosaurs? In this work, Aronson describes the journey that Mayor embarked upon to discover if there is a connection between the legend of the griffin and scientific fact. Over the course of eight well-written chapters, information about Mayor's life and research unfolds, letting readers travel to the many countries she visited to conduct her work. From a very young age, Mayor sought answers to the same questions that would inspire her later in life. A complementary blend of photography and ancient artwork aid the readers' perception of the myths and science that are shared in this book. A solid addition about mythology, art, and science for most collections.--Katy Charles, Virgil Elementary School, Cortland, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

What started as a hunch--that the legend of the griffin began with people who had seen fossils of extinct animals--led self-taught scientist Mayor to trace the origins of a myth to a basis in fact. With the suspense of a detective story, the narrative details Mayor's research process as she consults with experts, conducts fieldwork, and seeks out ancient documents, artifacts, and stories. Beyond the intriguing content of the book itself, Aronson and Mayor deliver an empowering message: that the world contains many yet-to-be-solved enigmas, and there's more than one way to crack a (dinosaur) egg. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Named a 2014 Eureka! Honor winner

"Focused through a single woman's obsessive search, this book comes off as both a riveting historical mystery as well as a wonderful example of how a person's passions might take them places they never imagined they might travel."—Fuse #8, School Library Journal

With the suspense of a detective story, the narrative details Mayor's research process as she consults with experts, conducts fieldwork, and seeks out ancienct documents, articfatcts and stories. Beyond the intriguing content of the book itself, Aronson and Mayor deliver an empowering message: that the world contains many yet-to-be-solved enigmas, and there's more than one way to crack a (dinosaur) egg." —Publishers Weekly