Daniel's Dinosaurs: A True Story of Discovery

Marie St. Onge-Davidson is president of the Essential English Centre in
Ottawa.

While inner tubing at Flatbed Creek in the northeastern region of
British Columbia during the summer of 2000, young Daniel Helm and his
friend Mark Turner discovered dinosaur footprints near Tumbler Ridge.
The following year, Rich McCrea, paleontologist extraordinaire and
dinosaur footprint expert, was asked to go the site to identify the
footprints. With Daniel and Mark’s help, he also chronicled the
discovery. In the summer of 2002, McCrea returned to the site and
discovered the first dinosaur skeleton in British Columbia. It was
determined to be 93 million years old—the oldest dinosaur remains
found in Canada. As a result, internationally renown paleontologist
Philip Currie joined McCrea, Daniel, and Mark on another excursion to
Tumbler Ridge. This book, written by Daniel’s father, documents their
amazing discoveries.

The well-written story covers the three years of discovery, work, and
tabulating of results. With its interesting details, drawings, and
realistic photographs, readers will learn much about paleontology,
dinosaurs, and excavating dinosaur remains. Additional information at
the end of the book provides readers with descriptions of the three
groups of dinosaurs found at Tumbler Ridge, a list of dinosaur
discoveries in the province’s northeastern region, notes about the
excavations carried out at the site in 2003, and information about the
establishment of the Tumbler Ridge Museum and its dinosaur exhibits.
This is a real-life adventure story that all children will enjoy. Highly
recommended.