Dinosaur Hunter

This book isn’t about one of your well-known New Zealanders, and you’ll be amazed to learn how one remarkable lady (Joan Wiffen) proved that dinosaurs lived in ancient New Zealand despite only beginning palaeontology at the age of 40! Without sounding tedious, this book documents Joan’s determination, skill and care whilst excavating dinosaur fossils from a Hawke’s Bay stream. The fact that she couldn’t initially find the stream didn’t deter her!

The colourful illustrations are instantly recognisable as those of Phoebe Morris, and it’s interesting that she has even included dinosaurs in the pictures depicting a time long after their existence. This will undoubtedly enthrall avid dinosaur fans as they search for dinosaurs and fossils throughout the book.

David Hill has made very good use of short sentences, which is perfect for the reader as their efforts can be put into the new terminology they may encounter in the text.

I loved the timeline at the back of the book and being able to see everything in chronological order, it makes everything seem so much more real somehow.

What a phenomenal story of a quiet Kiwi woman who taught herself so much and became a world expert on her passionate subject.

Title: Dinosaur Hunter

Author: David Hill

Illustrator: Phoebe Morris

Publisher: Penguin Random House (NZ)

ISBN: 9780143773221

RRP: $25

Format: hardback

Date of Publication: August 2019

Ages: 5+

Reviewer: Nadine Molloy, Library Assistant, Remarkables Primary School, Queenstown

How highly are you recommending this book? Recommended

What’s the book’s opening sentence? It’s 70 million years ago.

You can buy this book here