The Dog that Dug for Dinosaurs

There once was a little dog named Tray. He lived in England with his owner, Mary Ann Anning. Besides Mary Ann, Tray loved one other thing: he loved to dig for dinosaur bones. Together he and Mary Ann found small bones, big bones, and even entire skeletons! People came from all around the world to see the bones they found. This is the true story of Tray, the dog that dug for dinosaurs.

The Dog that Dug for Dinosaurs will please young readers who love dogs and dinosaurs. This true story shows how Mary Ann and Tray worked together to find dinosaur fossils. Throughout her life, Mary Ann studied and searched for dinosaurs. At first, they found small fossils, but eventually, they also found an ichthyosaur that is still displayed in the British Museum in London.

Mary Ann and Tray’s activities come to life in large illustrations that often include pictures of the fossils they found. The illustrations are drawn using the muted browns and greens of nature. Occasionally, the many people that came to meet Mary Ann and Tray are pictured, which introduces readers to the fashions of the early 1800s.

As part of the Ready-To-Read Level Three Series, The Dog that Dug for Dinosaurs is best suited for confident readers who are ready to tackle more challenging vocabulary and sentence structures. The story has a more complicated plot and deeper character development than books in lower levels. Most pages have approximately six sentences with illustrations that break up the text.

The Dog that Dug for Dinosaurs will entertain readers as it shows how Mary Ann and Tray turned their passion for finding fossils into a lifelong adventure that impacted the field of paleontology. The story is perfect for young readers that love dinosaurs. Readers who want to learn more about dinosaurs and finding fossils should check out the picture book Barnum’s Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World by Tracey Fern. If you’re looking for a fun, fictional book about dinosaurs, The Dino Files Series by Stacy McAnulty is sure to please.

Sexual Content 

None

Violence 

None

Drugs and Alcohol 

None

Language 

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content 

None

Duke Kahanamoku

Duke Kahanamoku loved living in Hawaii’s ocean. When he was four, Duke’s father taught him to swim. When Duke was a boy, he swam are race hosted by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). When Duke broke the world record for the hundred-yard freestyle, the AAU didn’t believe that Duke could swim that fast. Duke’s friends decided to take up a collection and send him to the mainland so he could try out for the Olympics.

Duke qualified for the 1912 Olympics. After he won a gold medal and a silver medal, he became one of the most famous swimmers in the world. Soon people wanted to see the “Human Fish.” Duke traveled around the country and surfed. Many people had never seen surfing, When Duke traveled to Australia, he showed others how to make a surfboard.

Even though Duke became famous because of his swimming ability, he also helped raise money for the Red Cross during World War I. He also taught others about water safety. Duke also was in more than two dozen Hollywood movies. “Because of the color of his skin, Duke was only hired for small parts like pirates, servants, and Native American chiefs.”

Duke was relaxing on the beach when a fishing boat capsized. Duke didn’t hesitate to jump in the water. With the help of his surfboard, he was able to save eight fishermen. Today, because of Duke’s heroic actions lifeguards have rescue boards. Duke is called the “father of modern surfing” because he introduced the world to surfing.

Duke’s true story describes his life from early childhood to his adulthood. Duke’s love of the ocean is apparent. Duke’s story is told both through words and pictures. Each page has realistic illustrations that show Duke’s life events. Even though Duke Kahanamoku is illustrated, the biography is intended for proficient readers. The story has challenging vocabulary words and complex sentence structure.

Duke Kahanamoku story shows how one man’s passion inspired others. However, Duke didn’t just use his talent to win Olympic medals. He also taught others about Hawaii. Despite being discriminated against, Duke kept quiet. “But he always knew in his heart these people were wrong to judge him by the color of his skin.”

Duke Kahanamoku will inspire confident readers to use their talent to make the world a better place. The back of the book also has facts about Hawaiian history, culture, and phrases. The last page of the book has 10 multiple choice questions that check for reading comprehension. Duke Kahanamoku would be a good choice in both a home or classroom situation. Duke Kahanamoku will leave readers wanting try surfing. The story may also ignite readers’ desire to learning more about Hawaii.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda was always surrounded by music—Spanish songs, Broadway show tunes, and hip-hop. Inspired by his favorite Disney movie, The Little Mermaid, Lin-Manuel would jump up on his desk and sing and dance. Soon Lin-Manuel was performing in school plays and even writing musicals.

However, Lin-Manuel often felt like he lived in two different worlds. His poor neighborhood was mostly Latino, while his school was mostly white. “As one of the only Latino kids in school, Lin-Manuel felt he had two choices. He could try to blend in, or he could try to stand out. He decided to stand out and made sure everyone knew he was proud of being Latino.”

Lin-Manuel went to college and continued to write musicals. With the help of his friends, Lin-Manuel produced an off-Broadway show. While on vacation, Lin-Manuel read a book about Hamilton, and he decided Hamilton was the perfect person to feature in a musical. Even though most of the people in Hamilton’s time were white, Lin-Manuel “thought it was important for the cast to look like America today, not the America of two hundred years ago.”

Lin-Manuel has always used his talent to show others that he is proud of his Latino heritage. Even today, he continues to share his culture with the world. Because of Lin-Manuel’s hard work and dedication, he made his dreams come true. His story can inspire readers to celebrate their heritage, work hard, and make their own dreams come true.

Lin-Manuel’s true story describes his life from early childhood to the present day. Many children will relate to Lin-Manuel’s love of music and Disney. Lin-Manuel’s story is told through both words and pictures. Each page has realistic illustrations that show Lin-Manuel’s life events. Even though Lin-Manuel Miranda is illustrated, the biography is intended for proficient readers. The story has challenging vocabulary words and complex sentence structure.

Lin-Manuel Miranda will inspire confident readers to work hard to make their dreams come true. The back of the book also has facts about Puerto Rico, Broadway, and even how to write your own play. The last page of the book has 10 multiple choice questions that check for reading comprehension. Lin-Manuel Miranda would be a good choice in both a home or classroom situation. Lin-Manuel Miranda will leave readers wanting to see the Broadway hit, Hamilton. The story may also ignite readers’ desire to learning more about American’s early history.

Sexual Content