The Wondrous Journals of Dr. Wendell Wellington Wiggins

by Lesley M. M. Blume, David Foote (Illustrator)

Overview

The journals of Dr. Wendell Wellington Wiggins might just be the most extraordinary contribution to the study of the earth's past since the discovery of the Rosetta Stone. In the incredible pages of these thought-to-be-lost diaries, Dr. Wiggins—whom we now must consider the greatest paleozoologist of all time—has divulged the secrets of the truly ancient animal world: a world before human beings; a world before dinosaurs; a world that, until now, existed well beyond the outer reaches of human imagination. From deadly Amazonian Whispering Vines (Vitus Sussurus) to curious creatures called Brittle Bones (Futilis Ossis) to a mysterious pet named Gibear (Chiroptera Vicugna Pacosis), the discoveries of Dr. Wiggins will forever change the way we think about the world before us.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375899188
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/07/2012
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Lexile:	970L (what's this?)
File size:	9 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

LESLEY M. M. BLUME has authored five children's books for Knopf, including Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins & Other Nasties. She lives in New York City.

DAVID FOOTE is a film director, fine artist, animator, and illustrator who envisions the world through a fantastical black-and-white looking glass. He lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4–6—In 1850, shortly after completing his graduate studies, Dr. Wendell Wiggins sailed from England on a scientific mission that would occupy the remainder of his life. Wiggins believed that life on Earth was much more ancient than was generally assumed-predating the known paleologic eras by millions of years. For 35 years, he explored the remote corners of the world, seeking the relics of these ancient creatures. Now, in his recently discovered journals, the world's greatest paleozoologist describes his arduous travels and astounding discoveries. Accompanied by his pet Gibear, an odd, furry little creature with seemingly mystical powers, the doctor treks from continent to continent in his quest for prehistoric remains. He finds them everywhere-from the Amazonian Umbrella Fish to the Brittle Bones of Cornwall. Written in chatty diary style, the journals often draw moral parallels between contemporary society and the fossil record. For example, Wiggins records that the Two-Headed Mammoth Bison of ancient Nebraska had both herbivore and carnivore heads and ultimately devoured themselves, demonstrating that people are often their own worst enemies. The journals are a fascinating mixture of whimsy and reality. While the prehistoric creatures are wildly fantastic, the settings-from Yellowstone to Antarctica-are real places. References to historical figures and events are sprinkled throughout. Authentically rendered antique maps, sepia-toned pages, and annotated "hand-sketched" illustrations, complete with mock-Latin classification names, enhance the impression of a rediscovered antique travel record. An amusing science fantasy with some subtle but incisive commentary on modern civilization.—Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

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