Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past

by Laura Scandiffio

Every archeological find adds to our understanding of the world, but sometimes a discovery is made that is so startling and different that it changes the way we view history. Digging Deep showcases the most exciting examples of these lost puzzle pieces and how recent advances in science brought them to light. From the new clues about life in the Stone Age gleaned from Ötzi the Ice Man, to new opinions about King Richard III’s villainous reputation deduced from the discovery of his long-lost tomb, Digging Deep is full of fascinating examples of how modern science has disrupted the status quo. Sidebars and illustrations with easy-to-follow explanations of radio-carbon dating, DNA, and other scientific topics provide further reading to satisfy readers with an interest in STEM.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Middle Grade, History, Archaeology

116 pages, Hardcover

First published April 9, 2019

About the author

Laura Scandiffio was born in Germany but grew up in Ottawa. As a child, she loved reading, drawing, and painting. She and her friends put on plays and created make-believe games in which they could pretend to be someone else. All this imagination came out in the stories Laura wrote when she was young. She has been writing ever since.

Today, Laura lives in an old house in Toronto with her husband and their two children. When not being a mom (and, sometimes, while being a mom!) she spends her time reading and writing books. She loves traveling and talking to people—kids and adults—to gather new ideas.

Laura’s first book with Annick Press shows off her impressive research and writing skills. The Martial Arts Book (2003) offers young readers an unrivaled overview of the history and philosophy of martial arts. Escapes! (2003) is part of the True Stories from the Edge series and offers ten riveting, true stories of dramatic escapes from around the world and throughout history.

Told through gripping storytelling and historical accounts, Laura’s most recent title, Evil Masters: The Frightening World of Tyrants (2005), is a revealing look at history’s most evil rulers, from Nero to Saddam Hussein.

Her latest titles are the first two books in the Kids @ the Crossroads series (2009). Again, Laura uses her extensive research skills to write from the point of view of children who might have lived in the time of the Aztecs or during the Crusades. In a unique twist, the main characters relate their stories in the form of a blog.

To aspiring authors, Laura advises: “Read, and think critically about what you read! Ask yourself, why is it good/bad/clever/engaging?”

Reviews

[Randal White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to introduce young readers to the field of archeology. Told in easy to understand and follow chapters, Digging Deep tells the stories of Otzi the Iceman, Angkor Wat, the Chauvet Cave art, and many more. While seemingly written for teens, I, too, learned a great deal. It helped reawaken an old interest that I had many years ago, and I look forward to exploring the subject more in the future.

[Alycia Canfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fun and interesting read! Pretty cool book! Kids and YAs, even some adults may enjoy reading this book. It starts out with a Otzi, the iceman found in the Alps, and continues with poisons ancients, and not so ancients have used for various purposes , and onto lost cities, ship wrecks, etc...

[Kate Waggoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network and the publisher for the review copy of this book – all opinions are my own.

"Poisons, ice men, and graves, oh my!"

Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past by Lara Scandiffio is an intriguing middle grade nonfiction book about archaeology, science, and history. The book discusses how modern-day science and technology are being used to solve historical mysteries. The mysteries included in the book are: Ötzi the Iceman, discovering the oldest poison, the lost cities of Cambodia, the hunt for the HMS Erebus and Terror, the lost grave of King Richard III, and the Chauvet Cave. Each chapter follows the same format; it begins with a narrative anecdote that sets the historical scene, it then goes into the modern-day story and the science being used, complete with sidebars, illustrations, and easy-to-understand descriptions of scientific processes. Each chapter also includes a timeline and a discussion on what this discovery may mean for the future.

I really enjoyed the book and loved learning about all the different historical mysterious. I was familiar with some of the topics (Ötzi, the temple in Angkor, and the Chauvet Cave) and was intrigued to learn about the role modern science has played in furthering our understanding of them. I was less familiar with the other topics in the book and really enjoyed learning something new. My favorite chapter was the one about King Richard III. I knew that Richard III stole the throne from his nephew and then locked his nephews away in the Tower of London before they mysteriously disappeared, but I wasn’t aware that his body was missing. Discovering his body thousands of years later under a parking lot, of all places, is fascinating.

As a middle school language arts and social studies teacher, I see so many possibilities for this book. Each chapter could be used on its own as a supplemental reading to a larger unit on ancient civilizations/history. The chapters are engaging, would pull students in, and could be used in a single class period. The book could also be used in its entirety throughout the year either as a supplemental material or as a book study. I really love incorporating nonfiction into my language arts classroom, and I feel that this book would appeal to many students with varying interests (it has mystery, science, history, and adventure, so there's a little something for everyone).

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past by Laura Scandiffio, 103 pages. NON-FICTION Annik Press, 2019. $15.

Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This book covers six different discoveries in archeology that modern science has been able to uncover more facts about. The discoveries include Otzi the Iceman, an ancient poison, a lost city in Cambodia, lost ships in the Arctic, the lost grave of Richard III and the Chauvet Cave art. Each chapter has a story involving the topic and then it has a section about how modern archeologists can use different technology or testing to determine facts about history that we haven’t known before. At the end of the chapter there is a summary about what that discovery has changed about our perceptions of history.

I wanted to love this book because its subtitle had me totally intrigued, but it is so wordy and dense that it takes patience to wade through the information. It is interesting, and certain chapters were more entertaining than others (the Richard the III chapter read like a mystery), but I’m not sure students would be compelled to continue to read. Also, I have an ARC and the pictures were blurry and unattractive, which I’m sure will be cleaned up for the final book, but I think the pictures will either make or break readers interest.

Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...

[M.L. Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner: Digging Deep by Laura Scandiffio. Releases 4-9-19.

I thought this was going to be a book about archaeology. It is, in fact, a book about archaeology, carbon dating, poison plants, mysterious lost ships, buried cities, kings of England, genetics, cave paintings, and the Ice Age, all nearly wrapped up in 103 easy-to-read pages. Who doesn’t want to read this book now?!

In fact, this middle-grade nonfiction is my most favorite book I’ve reviewed for @kidlitexchange so far. Don’t let me mention of easiness-to-read fool you. The tone is intelligent, the stories in-depth. I loved the layout and the use of graphics is perfect—enhancing the text, not distracting from it. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. In fact, during chapter 5 (my personal favorite), I became so wrapped up in the genuine “coolness” of this book I started spewing random facts to whoever would listen. I learned so much from this little book.

Digging Deep is an ideal addition to a school library or a wonderful resource for homeschooling families. The stories were carefully selected to be gripping and exciting for kids and adults alike. I love this book and am grateful for the opportunity to review an ARC. You will not regret buying it when it releases!

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for providing the review copy of this book—all opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth Tyree · Rating 4 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner
Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles from the Past by Laura Scandiffio showcases some of the most exciting archeological finds in recent history and did, indeed, make me want to dig even deeper into several of them. From how scientific advances have helped us learn more about life in the Stone Age, to using aerial archeology to pierce the dense jungle and locate long lost cities, and even finding out more about a recently rediscovered king via DNA research, this book takes its readership on an adventure of discovery that audiences of all ages can enjoy.
The only negative comment I can make is that the illustrations and captions are a little off kilter at the moment, something which I'm sure will be easily fixed and made beautiful by publication. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 4 Stars to Digging Deep for reminding me about that long-buried childhood dream of becoming an archeologist. I look forward to getting a finished copy and sharing this information with my students next year. This book will be perfect to use for research and during Nonfiction November.
This book releases on May 9, 2019

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

[Michelle Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

DIGGING DEEP: HOW SCIENCE UNEARTHS PUZZLES FROM THE PAST is nonfiction book about mysteries from the past that we can now solve thanks to science and technology. The book is divided into sections (Otzi the Iceman, Discovery of the Oldest Poisons, Lost Cities of Cambodia, The Hunt for Lost Ships in the Arctic, The Lost Grave of Richard III, and Art in the Chauvet Cave). Readers are introduced to the mystery and then find out about the steps and techniques used to unravel the mystery.

Being a science/technology person, I enjoyed that the author gave readers an introduction to the technology used (such as Carbon 14 dating and LiDAR) for studying anthropology. The book is well-formatted so that readers can understand the science and history behind the discoveries by use of sidebars and timelines. Kids will love the format and will enjoy watching the mystery unfold in this collision of history and science, perfect for curious middle schoolers and some in upper elementary. Great for those who are hooked on forensics shows! For 10+

Thanks to #kidlitexchange for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Kathleen Garber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digging Deep is the story of six archaeological puzzles from the past and how more information was learned about them through advances in archaeological science.
The book is designed for ages 10+ although I think it would be better for 12 and up just because of the advanced and scientific language.
Each story is explained in detail, with photographs and illustrations. Then you follow the story as the scientists use tools to find more information and put facts together to figure out what happened.

You’ll read about Otzi the Iceman, the discovery of the oldest poison, the lost cecities of Cambodia, the hunt for the lost ships HMS Erebus and Terror, the lost grave of Richard III and visit Chauvet Cave, where art began.

This is a good book for a tween or teen who has an interest in archaeology or even just likes learning more about the past in general. This will make a great addition to a school library as well.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Digging Deep is a really solid introduction to modern archaeology, the sciences behind archaeology, and a wide variety of histories. Throughout the book, we learn of the different ways archaeology uses science to determine the facts of the past, and we do so by looking at six different modern archaeological investigations that have fundamentally changed our views of history. The subjects chosen span a wide variety of regions and types of history, ranging from ancient poisons to medieval kings to cave paintings. I was familiar with some of what was in the book, largely because of previous books or magazines I've read, but I still learned a fair bit.

Definitely recommended for any middle grade or YA readers looking to learn about archaeology, the science of archaeology, or history in general. Even many adults will find this book to be an accessible gateway to new learning.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty cool book! Kids and YAs, even some adults may enjoy reading this book. It starts out with a Otzi, the iceman found in the Alps, and continues with poisons ancients, and not so ancients have used for various purposes (loved the Poison Garden!), and onto lost cities, ship wrecks, etc... Archaeology and anthropology, history, so many things to explore and learn about. It's a fun and interesting read! I happen to enjoy books like this and even tho' I've read many of these stories before, it's good to revisit them from time to time to learn what else has been learned since I last read about them!
I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This book is incredible! The author showcases many very interesting archeological discoveries that have greatly affected our understanding of history. She also included sections that show how the discoveries were removed from the environment and prepared for studying/displaying.

What a great introduction to archeology with lots of photos and maps. Although this book aims toward a grade five + readership, I think any adult would love to spend time turning the pages of this book simply because of the subject matter. Great inspiration for story ideas for authors and a wonderful reference book.

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging this short book was. Sandiffio has selected 6 different mysteries from around the world that archaeology has helped to solve, and while I was certainly drawn to some of the stories more than others, I really appreciated how wide her scope of location and historical time period was. I learned a lot, and this is so accessible for both middle grade and high school.

[Celeste · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had interesting chapters and ideas but overall it wasn’t very compelling.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and readable. Good photos and illustrations. I would have liked to see one last section summarizing the science behind the discoveries. It seemed to end abruptly.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science, archaeology and forensic science all help solve mysteries, like finding the Franklin expedition and Richard III's grave.

[karenbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent introduction to modern archeology with clearly written (but brief) explorations of each of the finds Scandiffio chose to highlight.

Meant for the middle school or maybe early high school crowd, I think, but interesting for adults who are new to the info as well.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner I received a copy of this book from @kidlitexchange network in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. - Digging Deep: How Science Unearths Puzzles From the Past by Laura Scandiffio releases April 9, 2019. - This book was fascinating! Digging Deep is a collection of true stories from all over the world where science solved, in some cases, centuries old mysteries. My favorite was the story of King Richard III and the mission to find his grave, long before lost. When bones were found near a possible grave for the dead king, the work of an osteoarchaeologist (archaeologist specializing in human bones) solved the mystery. The book also discusses the use of CT scan and DNA in discovering what Ice Man looked like and how the process of lidar allows us to see where ancient civilizations once lived and worshipped, though their temples and homes have since been covered.
I loved this book as a homeschool mom and saw so many possibilities in building this into units, or even units around this book. However, I also loved this book as a constant learner myself. I was introduced to scientific methods I had never heard of before but saw the impact their use in historical mysteries can have in the world I live in today.
Thank you to @kidlitexchange, Laura Scandiffio, and Annick Press for this review copy!