Stones and Bones: Fossils and the Stories They Tell

Stones and Bones is a BooksForTopics Recommended Read for Year 5, 2025-2026

Shortlisted for the 2025 UKLA Book Awards (Information 3-14+)

Explore the incredible history of life on our planet told through the fossil record!

Over the past four billion years, life on Earth has evolved from microscopic single-celled organisms to today’s incredible array of flora and fauna. In the course of this time, layer upon layer of life was buried in sediment, turning into a fossilised record of the planet’s history.

This beautifully-illustrated book looks at all the incredible things that scientists have learned from the fossil record; the ways in which continents have drifted, merged and fragmented again; the life forms that have evolved and the great extinction events that wiped them out. From bacteria to sponges to fish to tetrapods to reptiles to dinosaurs to mammals and finally to humans, Stones and Bones excavates the fascinating story of life on Earth. Clear, concise texts from fossil expert, Rob Wilshaw, along with lively illustrations, diagrams and timelines by Sophie Williams (Earth-Shattering Events and Map of You) make this hugely informative exploration accessible for readers as young as six.

With the science of Paleontology clearly broken down and a unique 'Paleontology Today' section highlighting the importance of learning from the past to protect our future, this vital book will delight not just dinosaur enthusiasts, but anyone interested in the incredible history of our planet.