The Doomsday Detectives: How Walter and Luis Alvarez Solved the Mystery of Dinosaur Extinction

by Cindy Jenson-Elliott, Theo Nicole Lorenz (Illustrator)

Overview

Father-son scientists Luis and Walter Alvarez piece together one of the greatest mysteries of all time: What really happened to the dinosaurs? Dive into this fun and informative middle grade nonfiction book, which outlines the many important scientific discoveries that aided the Alvarezes in their search for answers.

Cretaceous earth was known as the age of dinosaurs. But really, it was the age of LIFE—scaled and feathered, furry and leathered, budding, blooming, roaring, zooming, buzzing, glorious LIFE—until...

DOOMSDAY.

For 66 million years, the mystery of what happened to the dinosaurs lay hidden under layers of sand and silt, until scientists began to piece together the puzzle of what happened on the last day of the ancient world.

Follow the real-life adventures of father-son scientists Luis and Walter Alvarez—along with an army of science detectives—as they unlock the world's most intriguing mystery. Learn how the smallest particles in the universe helped explain what happened to the largest animals that ever walked the planet. Track the timelines of discoveries that had to happen in physics, paleontology, astronomy, and geology, before humans could understand how and why 75 percent of species suddenly went extinct.

This is the story of how scientists add to the sum total of human knowledge, one question at a time, and help us understand our beautiful, tragic, and magnificent world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643791098
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	03/11/2025
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	11 - 13 Years

About the Author

Cindy Jenson-Elliott is a science and writing teacher for children of all ages and adults, and is the author of 18 nonfiction books for children. She is an ocean swimmer, avid gardener, and explorer of the extraordinary ordinary world. Find her online at cindyjensonelliott.com.

Theo Nicole Lorenz is the illustrator behind several books, including Dinosaurs with Jobs, Unicorns Are Jerks, and The Trans Self-Care Workbook. They live in Saint Paul, Minnesota with their spouse and kid, a ball python, and a pile of cats. Find more of Theo's work at theonicole.com.

Editorial Reviews

* "Using the framework of the scientific process to structure the content, Jenson-Elliott effectively builds on explanations that contextualize the major concepts that drive the Alvarezes' discovery. . . . Emphasizes the thrill of these discoveries, which are made all the more thrilling by the fact that there is still so much more to learn. Perfect for kids who want to go all-in on dinosaurs." — Booklist, starred review

* "Packed with explanations of scientific terminology and methods of operation, this detailed and compelling book is a superb guide for curious STEM-focused readers. An outstanding resource that depicts the winding and complex journey of scientific exploration." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "An excellent, format-defying nonfiction introduction to the origins of paleontology and the quest to solve the mystery of dinosaurs' extinction. . . . Purchase this impressive STEM title for dino fans, curricular tie-ins, and all nonfiction shelves." — School Library Journal, starred review

Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection 2025

From the Publisher

★ 2025-01-18
A look at a father-and-son team’s journey to discover the scientific reasons why dinosaurs went extinct.

The book opens with dynamic black-and-white illustrations that dramatically depict the thriving flora and fauna of the Cretaceous Period, including dinosaurs, plants, and microscopic life. But what happened to the dinosaurs? Luis and Walter Alvarez, Cuban American father-and-son scientists, set out to solve this mystery. In 1980, they published a paper inScience magazine describing their hypothesis that an “extraterrestrial impact somewhere on Earth” led to the dinosaurs’ extinction. Strong, descriptive writing interspersed with engaging graphic novel panels together support the explanation of complex scientific concepts, including plate tectonics, historical evidence in rocks, and how evidence from outer space and the ocean connects to Earth’s geologic time scale. The Alvarezes spent years gathering proof to support their hypothesis, but the book shows how scientific theories are often controversial and even divisive. Informative sidebars highlight the diverse group of scientists who contributed to solving the mystery of extinction. But as is often the case, one finding leads to many more questions: “In science, no one has the last word.” The book closes by introducing contemporary scientists who are researching the doomsday event. Packed with explanations of scientific terminology and methods of operation, this detailed and compelling book is a superb guide for curious STEM-focused readers.

An outstanding resource that depicts the winding and complex journey of scientific exploration. (guide to scientific practices, glossary, source notes, endnotes, index, photo credits)(Nonfiction. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews