MARY MORLAND IN THE TIME OF DINOSAUR DISCOVERY
By: Jane Kurtz
Illustrated by: Giselle Potter
Published: February 24, 2026
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Non-Fiction/Biography
Mary Morland wasn’t a typical girl in the early 1800s. Most girls were taught to be prim and proper and to play with dolls. Instead, Mary preferred to be outside exploring. After Mary’s mother died, she was sent to live with a couple that didn’t have any children. Professor Pegge taught Mary all about plants and animals, rocks and fossils. This ultimately set her on the path to discovering early dinosaur fossils.
Kids who feel they don’t fit a stereotype or have a unique interest will find Mary’s passion and persistence inspiring. Mary wasn’t worried about finding a husband like other young women her age; she was worried about finding a rare fossil and labeling it in her journal. Mary inherited Professor Pegge’s rare collection of minerals, which led to her meeting another fossilist and eventually marrying him.
Mary and William Buckland worked as a team, drawing and identifying various skeletal remains and fossils. The word “dinosaur” hadn’t even been invented yet when a large fossilized bone was found, called a Megalosaurus. Mary’s drawings were shown to geologists, but much of Mary’s research and work wasn’t allowed to be recognized because she was a woman.
Kids may be surprised that intelligent women were forced to be ignored, even though they worked tirelessly and passionately behind the scenes to be part of the research and investigations. Mary’s work led the way for other scientists, including her son Frank, to share their passion for science with others. Mary never tired of learning about the world we live in, and she hopes others will follow their interests with just as much passion as she did.
An author’s note at the end shares more details on Mary’s life as well as a bibliography for more information.
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 is the volunteer director of the bilingual book project at Open Hearts Big Dreams . 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; The Clues Are In the Poo: The Story of Dinosaur Scientist Karen Chin, illustrated by Francisco Riolobos; Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros, illustrated by Claire Messer; Oh Give Me A Home: A Mostly True Story in Verse; and the American Girl book Lanie. To learn more, visit janekurtz.com.
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.
Click HERE to purchase a copy of MARY MORLAND IN THE TIME OF DINOSAUR DISCOVERY
Your child can dig for dinosaurs with this kit
Other posts you might like:
Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Children's books, Giselle Potter, Jane Kurtz, STEM, biography, dinosaurs