Jack Horner, Dinosaur Hunter!

When Jack Horner was a child, nothing fascinated him more than fossils. Dinosaur fossils to be exact. He hunted for them at every chance he got and dreamed of being a great paleontologist. But school was hard, reading was even harder, and he struggled to succeed like the other kids in his classes. Jack persevered, finding his own way to success, until he became one of the world's most famous paleontologist, immortalized in Hollywood movies and known as Jack Horner: Dinosaur Hunter!

School Library Connection

This picture book biography of world-renowned paleontologist Jack Horner brings not only details Horner’s passion to discover and study dinosaurs, but also encourages children to persevere when they face challenges. Readers may know the scientist from his work on the Jurassic Park movies, with a cameo appearance in the more recent Jurassic World, but he is most famous for discovering a colony of fossilized eggs and hatchlings from a new dinosaur genus he named Maiasaura. His discovery led to the new knowledge that dinosaurs did actually care for their young. Most influential for young readers might be that, despite a severe case of undiagnosed dyslexia which led to failure at school, Horner became a prominent paleontologist by pursuing his studies in the field. The comic/graphic novel-like illustrations fill the pages with color and action, bringing Horner’s story to life. While the appended Author’s Note adds additional information and the Dino Lab section suggests additional activities for students, this title will be grabbed off the shelf for recreational reading alone. Never enough dinosaur books on the shelves!

School Library Journal

A fossil collector from childhood, Jack Horner overcame profound dyslexia to become a renowned paleontologist, serve as consultant on Jurassic Park (and even inspire the character Alan Grant), and discover the first clutch of fossilized dinosaur eggs in North America. With a recurrent “CRUNCH. SWOOSH” to evoke the sounds of digging in dirt and loose rocks, Shephard portrays Horner in an accurately representational style, in a mix of large panels and full-page scenes—going from labs to rugged landscapes to a movie set and finishing up by lounging comfortably against a friendly looking T. rex. “Jack understands dinosaurs aren’t alive anymore, but he wishes they were.” Readers may feel the same. Gholz tells Horner’s story and explains his contributions to paleontology in brief, simple language, concluding with more details about Horner’s struggles and career along with an invitation to budding fossil hunters to draw and name a dino of their own. VERDICT An inspiring example of how disabilities don’t have to close doors to scientific careers or other dreams.