Bone Detective: The Story of Forensic Anthropologist Diane France

by Lorraine Jean Hopping

Book Overview

Diane France loves bones. Why? Because they talk to her. Every skeleton she meets whispers secrets about the life--and death--of its owner. Diane France can hear those secrets because she's a forensic anthropologist, a bone detective. She has the science skills and know-how to examine bones for clues to a mystery: Who was this person and how did he or she die? Bones tell Diane about the life and times of famous people in history, from a Russian...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0309095506
• ISBN13: 9780309095501
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Joseph Henry Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.4" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 11 to 15 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 10

Customer Reviews

Well worth the time to read

A lovely paperback, well worth the price with great color pictures and straight forward text. An excellent reading choice for an older child who might be interested in learning more about Forensic Anthropology and/or about the interesting life story of Diane France and her work experience in this sub-discipline of Anthropology. The book provides a sufficient and straightforward overview of both the field and her work. There is no attempt to candy coat some of the finer details of her experiences, so beware of this if looking for a book for the younger child, or those who may have strong sensitivities.

bone detective review

This book is a great, fun to read biography on Diane France. It would be a very good book to read if you are intrested in science. It is very well written and it explains Diane France's life, her career, and what a forensic anthropologist is.

Forensic Fun

Diane France is a forensic anthropologist. She solves murder cases and disappearances. She helped discover bones from the Guam incident in 1997 and at Ground Zero, 9/11. This is a great book to read because it teaches you about cases you've never heard about like the Romanov bones and Diane's cast of her face and a tiger's tongue.

Finally, an engrossing children's biography

As an adult, I have relished many well-written biographies. As a veteran middle school teacher, I have a bone to pick with the counteless boring, repetative children's biographies my students and I have endured. Finally, a biography that is engaging, interesting, human and educational. Bone Detective is a breath of fresh air in my classroom. Students love the photos that give the book a "scrapbook" feel. Sidebar photos and diagrams clearly explain complicated science concepts. The writing style has grabed my 6th students' attention and held it - suspenseful, humorous and thought-provoking. The forensics topic couldn't be more timely. Diane France is presented as a real human, in a real science job in a way that my students are really relating to!