The Skull Beneath the Storm
After a storm, young fossil hunter Mary Anning and her friend Finn investigate the changes to the cliffs. They discover a giant skull believed to belong to an ichthyosaur and learn the importance of careful observation, patience, and defending one’s knowledge amidst doubt.
Book 2 of 3
More in this series
Mary Anning’s Fossil Mysteries
The Giant Tooth in the Cliff
Join Mary Anning, a brave and brilliant fossil hunter, as she scours the cliffs of Lyme Regis for traces of long-extinct sea creatures. With her young friend Finn by her side and Pip the seagull keeping watch, Mary uncovers spine bones, skull fragments, and spiral ammonites hidden in ancient rocks. As the tide races in, Mary shows Finn how science, careful observation, and sketching bring fossils back to life. Readers will delight in the suspense of the hunt, the wonder of discovery, and the beauty of the Jurassic coastline. This charming adventure celebrates curiosity, friendship, and the power of knowledge to reveal Earth’s deep past.
The Wings in the Stone
When Mary Anning and her young friend Finn head out to the Lyme Regis cliffs once more, they seek fossils hidden in stone. Finn wonders: could creatures that built for soaring have left their mark here? Guided by Mary’s wise caution, they uncover a delicate winged fossil that speaks of ancient skies. Patience, careful science, and bravery shape their work—and protect a discovery unlike any they’ve found before. Together, they learn that every remarkable find begins with close observation and that each answer unfurls yet more questions. Join them as they unearth the secrets of a Jurassic pterosaur and imagine its wings beating across eons.
Characters
Mary Anning
Marry Anning is an English fossil collector, dealer, and palaeontologist. She is practical, brave, observant, and deeply patient. She knows the cliffs, tides, rocks, and fossils better than anyone, but she is often underestimated by wealthy collectors and formal scientists.
Pip
Pip is the sidekick: a bold gull who follows Mary and Finn along the shore. Pip cannot talk, but he has a big personality. He steals biscuits, drops shells, squawks at danger, and sometimes accidentally helps by noticing something from above.
Finn
Finn is an 8-year old blonde boy from the UK, who lives near the beach and is fascinated by Mary’s work. He is energetic, impatient, funny, and emotionally direct. Across the series, he becomes more careful and scientific, learning to sketch, measure, compare, and keep notes.