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Time Spies: Bones in the Badlands
Candice Ransom
Illustrated by Greg Call
Fiction (Series)
Ages 7 to 9
Mirrorstone, 2006, 0-7869-4028-X
  It has been two weeks since Alex, Mattie and Sophie took their astonishing journey back in time to the days when American patriots were fighting the British for the right to govern their own country. Alex, in particular, is feeling restless and is wondering when the next Travel Guide is going to turn up to stay in the Jefferson Suite. Until the Guide does this, the children cannot begin a new adventure.
  Then, at last, someone comes to stay in the Jefferson Suite. Her name is Ms. Van Hoven and she is a paleontologist. She tells the children about her work, about how she digs up fossils and studies them. She also tells them about the place where she does most of her digs, in the Badlands. Then Ms. Van Hoven writes a postcard and leaves.
  Quickly the children scamper up to the hidden room next to the Jefferson Suite, take out the magic spyglass that is kept there, and in a swirl of light and color the children are taken to the Badlands in Wyoming in 1898. They soon discover that they are in an area of the desert which is famous for having an enormous deposit of dinosaur fossils and they join forces with “dinosaur cowboy” Walter Granger who collects fossils for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Granger and his team of helpers are anxious to collect as many good specimens as they can before their “claim” is discovered. At this time in history fossil thieves can be a big problem for collectors. When Granger get a warning telegram from his employer to be wary of “poachers” the children are sure that their mission on this trip is to find out who the poacher is before it is too late. Can they help Granger before they run out of time?
  In this interesting book Candice Ransome introduces her readers to the fascinating story of the Bone Wars – the often acrimonious collecting battle that took place between two men who had a passion for collecting dinosaur fossils. She also shows young readers how much work is involved in digging up and protecting dinosaur bones. It is hard dirty work but it is also enormously rewarding when you find something of interest to science.
 This is the second book in the “Time Spies” series. With engaging characters, a sprinkling of magic, and interesting follow-up projects included at the end of each book, this is an excellent series for young readers
 

 

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