Rubin, Sean. Iguanodon’s Horn, The: How Artists and Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together Again and Again and Again. Sean Rubin, Illus. Clarion, 03/2024. 48pp. Nonfiction. Trade $21.99. 978-0-06-323921-0. GRADES 1–4. ADDITIONAL.
When a gigantic tooth and other skeletal remains were unearthed in England in the 1800s, it rocked the scientific world. Wildly inaccurate sketches envisioned what the mysterious creature, dubbed Iguanodon, might have looked like. This book explores how scientific theories about the iguanodon changed over time, with each iteration building on the last one as more evidence emerged. A chatty, engaging tone draws readers into the narrative, with richly detailed, humorous illustrations providing additional information. For example, fossil-hunter Mary Anning and a Darwin-like naturalist appear in a two-page spread, although they are not mentioned in the text. Endnotes include a guide to the illustrations, but in an apparent oversight it is organized by page number, and the book’s pages are unnumbered.
Jenny Andrus—Independent