SECRETS FROM THE ROCKS: DINOSAUR HUNTING WITH ROY CHAPMAN ANDREWS

by Albert Marrin

Marrin, Albert. 2002. SECRETS FROM THE ROCKS: DINOSAUR HUNTING WITH ROY CHAPMAN ANDREWS. New York: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 0525467432.

Plot Summary:

Written for elementary aged children, this is a factual account of the historic Central Asiatic Expeditions as revealed through the literary works of expedition leader Roy Chapman Andrews. The book chronicles the life of a Mr. Andrews who was born in Wisconsin in the 1880’s with an adventurous spirit and desire to explore the world. The story reveals the young adventurers aspiration of working at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. When he was told that there are no jobs available, he asked to be hired to wash the floors, which eventually led to him helping the museum scientist preparing and setup exhibits. In 1907, soon after he was hired, Mr. Andrews was asked to retrieve the remains of a dead whale found on Long Island beach to showcase in the museum. This initial expedition was the first of many which led to Mr. Andrews to explore the far away country of Mongolia to gather dinosaur and other fossils specimens for the museum. Excitingly written text accompanied with vividly illustrated with maps and septa photographs taken of the expeditions, this story keeps the reader turning pages with the wonder and amazement that Mr. Andrews must have had during his and his team’s discoveries in the Gobi Desert between 1922 and 1930. This book reveals how the early discoveries and literary works of Roy Chapman Andrews inspired future paleontologists by paving the way for modern discoveries and scientific interpretations of the fossil record and other “secrets from the rocks”.   

        

Critical Analysis:

Albert Marrin is the critically acclaimed writer of over three dozen nonfiction and biography books spanning across some of history’s most interesting and famous people. Some of these include subject like the American presidents of George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt; Civil War Generals Ulysses Grant and Robert E. Lee; Foreign country leaders Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung and Adolf Hitler; and the famous Native American leaders Sitting Bull and Quanah Parker. Mr. Marrin has also compiled an additionally long list of nonfiction works on the study of oil in our lives, microscopic creatures that live on humans, the story of the Dust Bowl years, saving buffalo, the a story about rats. He has written an extensive collection of historical nonfiction covering topics of the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, World War I and II, the conquest of the Aztec and Inca peoples by the European explorers.       

In the book, Mr. Marrin maintained a style of writing that was objective and did not glorify the subject. He revealed Roy Andrews achievements along with his faults, especially with his discrimination towards women in the scientific field and his absence in his family life. His use of photographs from the time helps show the reader what is being discussed in the text and to enhance its validity.  

The book is excellently organized in a logical chronological order of Roy Andrews’ life from birth to the inspiration of modern day paleontologists. The table of contents page, the index and the use of subtitles at the beginnings of chapters and the bottoms of pages within the chapter helps readers quickly access specific information as needed.

Nearly every page turn offers readers striking septa photographs that reveal an inside look at the Roy Andrews, his expedition team and the grandeur of the Gobi desert. The captions accompanying each photograph enhance the understanding of what the photo reveals and the moment it was taken.

The flow of the text shows Albert Marrin’s research of the subject and enthusiasm for writing the information in a clear and exciting manner. Knowing that his readers are young children, Mr. Marrin shed light on his writing style by saying, “Kids are very bright. I’m not going to write down. If anything, I’ll have them read up to me.”

Review Excerpt:

Kirkus Reviews stated, “Often regarded as the inspiration behind Indiana Jones, renowned dinosaur hunter Andrews marks an apt change of pace for Marrin…”

Booklist remarked, “The result is a colorful portrait that offers thought-provoking insight into the constantly shifting nature of scientific discovery.”

The School Library Journal writes, “The fossils unearthed on his trips had an impact on our understanding of prehistoric life and cemented the stature of the Museum of Natural History in New York City.” 

Connections:

The book connects the reader to the American Museum of Natural History and a link to the museum’s website, www.amnh.org, is located in the back of the book. This is an excellent resource for children and adults wanting to explore fossils, whales, and other natural history exhibits. The site has an excellent link for elementary aged children to explore called OLOGY, which is the museum’s science website for kids, which is found at www.amnh.org/explore/ology.

Personal Response:

I graduated with a minor in geology and enjoyed learning about rocks and fossils immensely. I found the nonfiction book about the Central Asiatic Expeditions of Roy Chapman Andrews to be very interesting and exciting. Mr. Chapman was considered to be the inspiration to the character Indiana Jones played by Harrison Ford in the popular theatrical series.

References:

AlbertMarrin.com (n.d.). Albert Marrin Biography. Retrived from http://www.albertmarrin.com/biography-marrin.html

AlbertMarrin.com (2013). SECRETS FROM THE ROCKS: DINOSAUR HUNTING WITH ROY CHAPMAN ANDREWS book cover. Retrieved from http://www.albertmarrin.com/img/books/038.jpg

Kirkus Reviews (2010). SECRETS FROM THE ROCKS: DINOSAUR HUNTING WITH ROY CHAPMAN ANDREWS book review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/albert-marrin/secrets-from-the-rocks/

School Library Journal (2002). SECRETS FROM THE ROCKS: DINOSAUR HUNTING WITH ROY CHAPMAN ANDREWS book review. Retrieved from http://bookverdict.com/details.xqy?uri=Product-4369546.xml