Although most books about scientists lack any real conflict, this volume from the new Fossil Hunters series tells of the Bone Wars, a clash between two American paleontologists. In 1868, at the Haddonfield, New Jersey, marl pit, Othniel Marsh and Edward Cope established a cooperative relationship, but it deteriorated rapidly. Over the next two decades, each man established dinosaur digs in Wyoming and Colorado, spied on the other's work, and engaged in bribery, theft, and sabotage, even dynamiting fossil sites. Finally, their newspaper attacks on each other's expertise, honor, and sanity alienated the scientific community and led to the end of the Bone Wars. Goldish writes in a clear, straightforward manner, letting the story's inherent drama speak for itself. Fair and balanced, the account acknowledges the damage done by both men as well as their scientific achievements. The presentation is enhanced by attractive page design, which includes a paragraph or two on each page and a photo of an artifact, individuals, sites, or fossils.

Gr 3-6-These three books are simply written and have period photos, maps, and full-color reproductions. The titles range from the historical (the 19th-century "Bone Wars") to the contemporary (the discovery of T. rex) to a bridge work (Philip Currie's search for Barnum Brown's "lost" Albertosaurus bone field). For readers not yet ready for such titles as Thom Holmes's detailed Fossil Feud (Silver Burdett, 1996), Patricia Relf's more demanding A Dinosaur Named Sue (Scholastic, 2000), or Monique Keiran's tightly focused Ornithomimus (Raincoast, 2002), these titles are interesting introductions to the history of dinosaur hunting and the ongoing efforts of paleontologists in the field.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.