When Sue Found Sue: Sue Hendrickson Discovers Her T. Rex

Gr 1-4--Sue Hendrickson was a shy but smart and curious little girl who was constantly on the hunt for things. Whether searching for lost trinkets, butterfly wings, shells, or information from books she read, Hendrickson possessed a voracious appetite for knowledge. As she got older, her natural curiosity grew. She joined teams of explorers to find different creatures and artifacts from around the world. Soon, she found herself looking for the things she'd most want to find, namely fossilized dinosaurs. After four years of digging in South Dakota, Hendrickson discovered a nearly complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex. The skeleton, named in her honor, was one of the best-preserved fossils ever discovered and remains on display at the Field Museum in Chicago. This delightfully illustrated tale of discovery and wonderment works great as a research starter or supplement to paleontology, basic science, or museum studies, and includes further references. The images combine a sense of simplicity and detail with large, full-page illustrations, and smaller eye-catching pops of color to keep readers exploring. VERDICT Appropriate for readers and listeners of all ages, this book rewards passions for learning and passes those values on to its readers. A must-have title for explorers and dino lovers alike.--Thomas Jonte, Pensacola State College, FL

Sue Hendrickson began her life as a "shy and incredibly smart" girl with an insatiable curiosity about the natural world and a passion for finding lost objects. This interest blossomed into a career as an underwater archaeological excavation diver ("diving first for tropical fish, and then for lost boats, lost airplanes, and even lost cars") and paleontologist. In Sudyka's warmly detailed art, Hendrickson dives in tropical waters and digs for duck-billed dinosaur fossils in an arid landscape of striated rock. It's an exciting moment when she, standing alone with her dog, sees a partial backbone in the rock and correctly envisions a T. rex; the remarkable find will come to be named after the finder herself. Readers who see treasure hunting as a viable profession will be heartened by Hendrickson's pursuit of her passions. Ages 4-8. (May)