A Dinosaur Named Ruth: How Ruth Mason Discovered Fossils in Her Own Backyard

by Julia Lyon, Alexandra Bye (Illustrator)

For fans of Shark Lady and from the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Dr. Fauci comes the incredible true story of a girl who discovered dinosaur bones in her own backyard and, after years of persistence, helped uncover one of the most exciting paleontological discoveries of our time.

There’s an extraordinary secret hidden just beneath Ruth Mason’s feet. The year is 1905, and Ruth is a prairie girl living in South Dakota. She has no way of knowing that millions of years ago, her family farm was once home to scores of dinosaurs. Until one day, when Ruth starts finding clues to the strange rocks and rubble scattered all across her land. They’re dinosaur fossils—but she doesn’t know that yet, either. It will take many years of collecting these clues, and many, many questions, but Ruth’s curiosity will one day help uncover thousands of fossils all across her land.

New York Times bestselling illustrator Alexandra Bye’s vibrant illustrations bring to life this inspiring and exciting debut picture book from award-winning journalist Julia Lyon.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, Dinosaurs, Science, History, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

I used to interview kids from around the world as a newspaper reporter. Now I write books for them, books I hope will inspire them to change the world. My debut, "A Dinosaur Named Ruth" (Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books) tells the story of a girl who found dinosaur bones in her own backyard. You can find a free teacher's guide on my website. I love connecting with kids and visiting schools. Let's meet!

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is nice for the younger picture book crowd. It's a fairly simple and straightforward biography and nothing too scientific but conveys the passion Ruth had for her fossil discoveries and collections and her persistence when she was constantly dismissed by professionals. Though it took many years for her discoveries to be acknowledged by the scientific community, it was great to see that she kept her enthusiasm into her golden years and finally got to see her dream become a reality. The illustrations are vibrant and cheerful. My children enjoyed this and picked it out first from the stack of picture book biographies I brought home from the library. The back matter provides an Author's Note and List of Sources.

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

My class had the honor of hearing this book read by the author today! Not only is it an inspirational story, it is also a story about curiosity and perseverance. We will be adding it to our library shelves.

[Adina Hamik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brings out the adventurous little girl in all of us! Great research and Julia's ability to capture kids'attention while teaching persistence is right on!! Write more Julia!!

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid, I grew up not too far from a university that had a museum of paleontology. And with a couple hours' drive, I could find myself at a site rich with dinosaur bones. I always hoped I might find a dinosaur bone myself.

So when I hear about this book, I was excited to read about a little girl who lived out my dream. But she found way more than just one dinosaur bone. Ruth Mason grew up in South Dakota, and spent a lifetime collecting bones and fossils and imagining just what they might be. But nobody believed her finds were important. Nobody but Ruth.

This book takes you through the excitement of discovery and the test of faith that it took for Ruth to believe in what she knew to be important until finally, finally, her work and discoveries were recognized as the extraordinary things they were.

If you love dinosaurs, if you've ever imagined yourself an explorer, if you've ever been certain about something but couldn't get anyone to believe you . . . this is the book for you.

And the illustrations are so fun! The style is dreamy, yet real, giving the perfect feel to this book about a discovery that felt exactly that. Dreamy, but real. Kids will also love finding all the hidden dinosaurs in the pictures. The art is truly a delight.

I can't wait to gift this book to all my dinosaur-loving friends, and I recommend you do the same!

[Amanda Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring story of curiosity, persistence, and the mysteries of our ancient world. I had no idea about the story of Ruth Mason, a young girl who, in the author's beautiful words, "pulled the past from her pocket and showed it to the world"-discovering hidden dinosaur fossils in her own backyard and never giving up hope that someone, somewhere, would come to see the importance of her findings. Lyon's words take us on a fascinating journey of Ruth's life, encouraging all readers to ask questions, pay attention to your surroundings, and never give up. The text is a perfect complement to Bye's rich, warm, and textured illustrations. A great book for all ages and wonderful addition to schools and libraries as well.

[Annette Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dinosaur Named Ruth tells the story of how a young, curious girl grows up. But she stays curious...and continues to collect bones from her land. She didn't know if they were ordinary. As you might guess, they turned out to be extraordinary! The bones on her ranch represented 99 dinosaurs.

The dinosaur bones were are displayed in museums around the world. One of the dinosaurs from the land of Ruth Mason was sent to Wales...and is named Ruth.

This is a favorite closing line in a book:
"Thanks to one very patient girl named Ruth who pulled the
past from her pocket and showed it to the world."

Beautiful text. Beautiful illustrations. Both will keep children reading it many times. Highly recommend!

[Michele Knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this nonfiction picture book biography about Ruth Mason and how she accidentally discovered dinosaur bones at her home in South Dakota. Not knowing they were dinosaur bones, but knowing they were something special, Ruth collected these bones and continued to write letters to experts at museums and universities, telling them about her collection. It wasn't until later in life did someone finally pay attention to her collection, discovering she had many dinosaur bones on her land!
I really liked how the illustrator had layouts of dinosaurs seemingly looking over Ruth's shoulder, as if to encourage her in telling everyone about her discovery!

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an inspiring, very cool book that will instantly capture the imagination of any kid who loves dinosaurs and discovery. RUTH would be a great addition to any public or school library!

[Mindy Alyse Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about Ruth. Her curiosity and determination gave a great contribution to the world. A child’s curiosity is priceless. I bet this book will inspire kids to explore and find out more about the ground they live on, too. And when they find something they believe is special…not to let anyone make them think it’s worthless.

I love the hidden dinosaurs in some of the illustrations. I kept going back to see if I missed any.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story of perseverance and staying true to yourself. Love the way the illustrator subtly weaves dinosaurs into the art.

[Bradley Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so heartwarming! My class enjoyed this book read aloud and was so engaged learning about this important woman. They also enjoyed all the fun pictures and hidden dinosaurs in the pictures. This is a great read aloud for a classroom or nighttime story with any dinosaur loving child.

[Jilanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful new addition to STEM women biographies. The story of a woman from the Black Hills of South Dakota who followed her own curiosity, undaunted by having her findings brushed off by the scientific community as "unimportant," until they finally explored her discoveries when she was in her 80s. Bones that she'd unearthed, especially "touch bones" that children are allowed to handle, are now included in the collections of museums around the world. In addition, ten mounted skeletons of dinosaurs in natural history museums also came from her property. It's a good thing she persisted! Great story with additional information in the back matter to pique the curiosity of those fossil-minded kids. They may want to start digging in their own back yards.

[Helaina Storie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging story about preserving. Ruth doesn’t get her discovery acknowledged until late in life but that doesn’t stop her. For those who enjoy dinosaurs and a timeless lesson you will love A Dinosaur Named Ruth.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book about determination!! It's so nice to discover a book about another smart woman in the dinosaur world named Ruth Mason. Julia Lyon does a fantastic job telling the story of an inquisitive young girl who never gave up on her discovery. The illustrations by Alexandra Bye are beautiful and tell the story well. My 7-year-old daughter loved it, along with my 7-year-old twin nieces who want to be paleontologists. Highly recommend it!!

[April VanZandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional book about Ruth Mason and teaches children to not give up and be consistent. This author tells a great story and had my kids asking what’s next. This story opened up so many questions and was an absolute teaching moment.

[Ellen Leventhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A DINOSAUR NAMED RUTH is the true story of Ruth Mason and how her curiosity, dedication, and persistence gave the world a wonderful gift. When Ruth finds objects in her yard that she can’t identify, she spends years writing to “experts” who consistently tell her that they are nothing special or unusual. But Ruth knew they were wrong. It didn’t happen right away, in fact, it was MANY years later, but it was finally proven that Ruth was right. What she found in her yard was definitely special and unusual. Julia Lyon’s beautiful writing and Alexandra Bye’s gorgeous illustrations make this a book that every child will love. I highly recommend it.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written nonfiction for a primary age student, telling an interesting story about an important discovery of dinosaur bones by a young girl. It has hard today to believe that this important area was so completely overlooked for so long!

Ruth's careful collecting over a long period of years made an important contribution to paleontology.

Great for a science classroom or to hand to a young dinosaur enthusiast. Great writing prompt too!

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to introduce the world of paleontology. My daughter now wants to search our backyard!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Our 10 and 12 year old can’t get enough of reading and rereading-which is great because as adults it’s interesting!

[Jenny Mattern · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in A Dinosaur Named Ruth are a lovely accompaniment to this charming true story of perseverance. My daughter and I very much enjoyed reading Julia Lyon's picture book together!

[Christina Dendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love dinosaurs and digging for dinosaur fossils and strong, curious women, so this was a win for us! Lyon adapts the story of Ruth Mason, from childhood to adulthood, with a lovely narrative voice that succeeds in bringing to life Mason's curiosity, exploratory spirit, resilience, and joy in her discoveries. More, the book has more of a storytelling feel then biographic feel, making it more likely to hold the attention of young readers. Alexandra Bye's illustrations are beautifully realistic and whimsical at the same time. A great addition to mighty girl, dinosaur, and archaeology shelves!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a charming book! I love that the story is true, and there could be magic waiting for any of us under our feet. The illustrations are perfect for children, but even as an adult, I was taken. It’s a quick read, and can imagine it’ll be a favorite for a lot of kids - who will ask to read it every night before bed.

[Laura Gehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't familiar with Ruth Mason or her discoveries before reading this book, and I loved learning about a little girl who discovered fossils in her own backyard. Despite being told again and again, as a child and as an adult, that her discoveries weren't useful or interesting, Ruth persisted, trying to share her treasures with the world. Finally, as an old lady, Ruth's dream came true! Beautifully evocative language ("She picked up these small pieces of the past, cradled them in her hand, and tucked them in her apron pocket.") pairs with charming illustrations to make this book one that will draw in readers young and old.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biography about Ruth Mason, who found a lot of dinosaur bones in her backyard and who spent decades trying to get museums and experts to come check out the bones. When experts finally did show up (when she was 80!) they found bones from at least 99 dinosaurs!

[Natasha Mileusnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read for kids. It's a true story - with glorious pictures by Alexandra Bye - of a young South Dakota girl who found dinosaur bones on her property. For fans of dinosaurs, nonfiction (like my 9-year-0ld), or girl power, A Dinosaur Named Ruth will appeal across age groups.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is A Dinosaur Named Ruth: How Ruth Mason Discovered Fossils in Her Own Backyard, written by Julia Lyon and illustrated by Alexandra Bye, a fascinating tale of paleontology and persistence.

In turn of the century South Dakota, 7-year-old Ruth Mason found her first dinosaur bone in her very own backyard. She began a collection of her then-unusual discoveries, even as friends and family told her that the strange little bones weren’t special or important. As the years passed and Ruth found more and more of the unusual bones, she began writing universities and museums about her discoveries, only the receive the same answer: the things she was finding in the Badlands weren’t significant, weren’t important, weren’t special. For decades, Ruth kept collecting, kept writing, and kept being dismissed. That is, until the day in 1979 when she finally received a knock on the door…

A most unusual and intriguing dinosaur story! The paleontological gold mine that Ruth Mason’s family ranch turned out to be serves as an interesting lesson on not only patience and dealing with being underestimated, but also a salute to doing something simply for the love of doing it. Despite having her discoveries dismissed for over seven (!) decades, Mason continued to collect fossils and display them in her “garden of bones”; whether or not the world thought they were important (which, it turns out, they very much were), they brought her joy and so she treasured them. Lyon’s text is filled with gentle cheerfulness and a touch of cheek, perfect for the optimistic tone of the story. Bye’s lush illustrations are suffused with warmth and atmosphere, imbuing the characters, including the charming Ruth and even the living versions of dinosaurs whose bones she loved, with personality and energy. The length is perfect for a storytime, and JJ really enjoyed this heartwarming tale of a tenacious girl and her dinosaurs. Overall, a unique and rewarding story, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this children’s non-fiction about Ruth who as a young girl and adult, knew she had dinosaur bones on her property, even when others wouldn’t listen or believe her.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I've read a lot of books in the non-fiction sector about women fossil hunters. I didn't expect to think this was anything different, but there was a sweetness and goodness to this story that felt different. It wasn't really about a bold struggle, but a quiet perseverance. Ruth found and studied fossils on her ranch from her youngest days, collecting them and asking the world to come see them for decades. And life went on. Until someone finally listened and came to see. . . when Ruth was eighty. EIGHTY! She wasn't a educated scientist or someone famous, but a woman who carried on with life, savoring the world around her and believing in herself. I sort of adore her.

Most of us won't do anything particularly astonishing in our day-to-day lives of just keeping on. But a whole lot can accumulate from those small steps of perseverance. I'd love to see one of Ruth's finds in a museum. What a collection!

Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

All those young collectors out there will be inspired by Ruth's hobby and determination.

Ruth Mason grew up in South Dakota and enjoyed heading outside to discover all sorts of things. In 1905, there was quite a bit of untouched land around her, and that's where she discovered the first of many bones. She collected them, knowing that they were special even when no one wanted to believe her. But after a very long time, that changed.

This is history masterfully woven into a story, which young readers can easily identify with. Ruth's desire to collect things is a hobby so many kids have done or do themselves...be it rocks or shells or leaves or whatever. No one else finds her collection overly important, but she continues since she enjoys doing it. It's a situation many can relate to. Ruth didn't let others damage her fun and continued to believe that her collection was special, even when she did it just for herself. Even when disappointing comments hit, she never dwells on them or lets it get her down.

The illustrations and text are very well done. Each scene comes across familiar although it is set in historical times. The small details give hints at Ruth's life on the prairie without ever having to be mentioned in the text. The words are fitting to the age group and only carry a few sentences on each page. It makes a great read aloud for small as well as larger groups.

The theme of dinosaur bones and how they've been discovered also carries a large importance in this read. It shows how ordinary people can make large discoveries, and how some of the displays in museums came to be. So, this also works as an introduction to science lessons or historical discussions on that front.

And for those, who are more sure of their words, it's simply a wonderful read. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed how well the history flows.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Mason was always active when she was younger. One day, while running through her prairie, she stumbled upon the strangest things in her own backyard. Determined to figure out what they were, she wrote to several different people asking them to take a look at her discoveries. As she grew, she got rejection after rejection of people telling her she didn't find anything special. But that never stopped Ruth from expanding her collection with more of these strange objects from her backyard.

Finally, someone stopped by her house asking about the remains of a sea creature. Ruth didn't have what he was looking for, but she had something even better. A collection of dinosaur bones! It didn't take long for dinosaur experts to swing by to take a look. Sure enough, Ruth's suspicions were correct. She found something truly amazing.

A DINOSAUR NAMED RUTH is a children's history novel that shows how one little girl's belief in something can lead to amazing things. Had she believed all the people telling her she didn't find anything, she might have thrown away the bones or worse, burned them. Then, that piece of history would have been lost forever. Not only does this story teach an interesting piece of history, but it also shows that you should always believe in yourself, no matter what others say.


Final Verdict: A DINOSAUR NAMED RUTH teaches how one of the dinosaurs in a museum got the name Ruth and I find this to be both fascinating and inspiring. History has a beautiful way of teaching us valuable lessons and this book does just that. It addresses the importance of believing in yourself.