Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was released August 15, 2021 by Owlkids Books.
Caden and his dog discover something in his yard. It's not a post, not a stone and not a root. His neighbour, Martha, tells him he's found a treasure. He rushes in to tell his father, but his father dismisses him. Caden, undeterred, gets a shovel and begins to dig.
Soon he finds something "curved up like a dirty old claw." He continues digging.
He tells his mother he's found a treasure. She laughs it off.
Caden, with Martha's help, continues to dig and excavate massive bones from the earth. She tells him, "It's only a treasure if it's put together."
He tells his teacher, Mr Clerkson, that he's found something like the prehistoric mammoth he showed them. In response, the teacher claims, he'd eat his hat if Caden actually found one.
Martha and Caden attempt to assemble the bones. Their reconstructions end up with some pretty hilarious combinations. When they think they have it right Caden brings his parents to view it.
In the end they sell the skeleton to a museum and Caden and his family's financial woes are over. They end up travelling the world with the mammoth telling the story of it's discovery. His teacher has a hat eating fundraiser.
I like Lily Snowden-Fine's colourful artwork. I like the diversity in Caden's family. I like the persistence Caden shows. No matter what, he doesn't give up and continues to dig.
From an adult's perspective, the message in this book is to really listen to what your children are saying. For children it's to ignore naysaying parents and teachers.
What bugs me about this book is that it says it is inspired by a true event, but then tells nothing about it!
Oh, that would bug me, too! This librarian needs citations!!
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