Fantastic Fossils: A Guide to Finding and Identifying Prehistoric Life

Written by Donald R. Prothero / Illustrated by Mary Persis Williams /
Columbia University Press, 2020

Dr. Prothero has written many books on fossils, dinosaurs, and ancient animals. Fantastic Fossils is his newest and is filled with basic fossil and collecting information along with great pictures that he has taken (with his kids) at fossil localities. The illustrations by paleoartist Mary Persis Williams are crisp and easy to understand as well as pleasing to the eye. I would have used them in my classroom.
He explains where to find fossils, how to collect them, and additional data as a paleontologist would to make your collecting experience more significant.
Then Dr. Prothero takes the reader through the different phyla of marine and terrestrial animals and plants so that you can identify what you have collected. There is even a chapter on learning Latin names so you know not only the name of the fossil, but why it has been given That name. (Latin- is the basics of science- learn it and so much more will make sense!)
Fantastic Fossils is a quick and easy read with so much expert information. This is a must-have book to have in your vehicle anytime you are going to look for fossils. Enjoy!
Cindi Sirois Collins

On a personal note: While I was writing Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Animals of Big Bend Texas, I did not have enough information on some of the ancient mammals. Dr. Prothero was recommended to me by Dr. Sankey, a paleontologist that had worked on ancient turtles in Big Bend National Park in Texas. He was so helpful and also had a book called The Princeton Field Guide to Ancient Mammals that answered so many of my questions. Please Google and Amazon his plethora of dinos and ancient animal books. You will learn so much! Enjoy! CSCollins

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