Fossil

K-Gr 2—Bursting with sun-washed illustrations that approach photography in their realism and detail, Thomson's wordless picture book features a child out on a walk with his canine companion when he picks up an interesting rock. He trips and drops it and, when it breaks open, he discovers the imprint of a plant inside. With a mysterious twinkling of lights, a live version of the plant appears. He breaks open a second rock containing the shadow of a dragonfly, and suddenly the real thing is darting around him. The third rock he finds contains the outline of a dinosaur's foot, and one can guess what happens next. The dog runs after the flying prehistoric beast, leaping onto its back. Chasing after them, the boy steps on the first rock, breaking it into shards, and the live plant disappears. The boy realizes that if he shatters the dinosaur fossil, the creature will vanish, leaving his dog unharmed (although he seems to be enjoying himself). Thomson's take on the fun of discovering these records written in nature is original and inspiring, encouraging young minds to imagine the plants actually growing, the insects really buzzing, and the dinosaurs truly soaring thousands of years ago. An exceptionally creative effort in combining science and art and turning kids into storytellers.—Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR