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Charlotte's Bones: The Beluga Whale in a Farmer's Field
2019 Moonbeam Silver Medal
Many thousands of years ago, when a sheet of ice up to a mile thick began to let go of the land, the Atlantic Ocean flooded great valleys that had been scooped out by glaciers, and the salty waves of an inland sea lapped the green hills of Vermont. Into this arm of the sea swam Charlotte. Her milky, smooth, muscled body sliced slowly through the water like scissors through silk. Like a chirping canary, her voice echoed across dark waters showing the way to her pod as belugas have done for millions of years. In 1849, a crew building a railroad through Charlotte, Vermont, dug up strange and beautiful bones in a farmer’s field. A local naturalist asked Louis Agassiz to help identify them, and the famous scientist concluded that the bones belonged to a beluga whale. But how could a whale’s skeleton have been buried so far from the ocean? The answer―that Lake Champlain had once been an arm of the sea―encouraged radical new thinking about geological time scales and animal evolution. Charlotte’s Bones is a haunting, science-based reconstruction of how Charlotte died 11,000 years ago in a tidal marsh, how the marsh became a field, how Charlotte found a second life as the Vermont state fossil, and what messages her bones whisper to us now about the fragility of life and our changing Earth. Color throughout
Many thousands of years ago, when a sheet of ice up to a mile thick began to let go of the land, the Atlantic Ocean flooded great valleys that had been scooped out by glaciers, and the salty waves of an inland sea lapped the green hills of Vermont. Into this arm of the sea swam Charlotte. Her milky, smooth, muscled body sliced slowly through the water like scissors through silk. Like a chirping canary, her voice echoed across dark waters showing the way to her pod as belugas have done for millions of years. In 1849, a crew building a railroad through Charlotte, Vermont, dug up strange and beautiful bones in a farmer’s field. A local naturalist asked Louis Agassiz to help identify them, and the famous scientist concluded that the bones belonged to a beluga whale. But how could a whale’s skeleton have been buried so far from the ocean? The answer―that Lake Champlain had once been an arm of the sea―encouraged radical new thinking about geological time scales and animal evolution. Charlotte’s Bones is a haunting, science-based reconstruction of how Charlotte died 11,000 years ago in a tidal marsh, how the marsh became a field, how Charlotte found a second life as the Vermont state fossil, and what messages her bones whisper to us now about the fragility of life and our changing Earth. Color throughout
36 pages, Hardcover
Published August 21, 2018
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 3, 2019
I discovered this one through my local indie bookstore -- a different kind of whale picture book, its author a local schoolteacher. It recounts the geological past of Vermont -- how the land was scooped out by a glacier and then, after the glacier receded, briefly became the site of a small saltwater sea. A phenomenon called "isostatic rebound" eventually caused the sea to transform back into dry land, but not before a smattering of marine animals lived and died there, leaving their skeletons to be dug up as fossils centuries later. The book focuses on the historic moment the bones of one such animal, a beluga whale dubbed Charlotte (because female belugas die from stranding more often than males), were upturned by mid-19th-century railroad construction workers, a fossil discovery instrumental in reshaping conceptions of the area's history.
I like how this book uses one clear, vivid, concrete example to teach youngsters how a fossil can change the way we understand something much bigger. I like how the book literally brings geology to kids' backyards, showing them that the wonder of science can be found anywhere. I also think it's salutary for people to learn from an early age that the Earth wasn't always the way it is now -- that is, habitable by humans -- and that it's therefore entirely possible for it to shift back away from habitability in the future. There were elements of the narrative that struck me as perhaps a bit odd for a kid's book: Charlotte is anthropomorphized just enough to win kid readers' sympathies before she is portrayed suffering an agonizing death from stranding (while her fellow beluga whales look on in helpless distress), after which a matter-of-fact sequence of illustrations graphically depicts her corpse decaying and putrefying. This is all well and good for more grown-up readers, but I wonder what a tender-hearted young child reader would make of it. Still, the illustrations are quite pretty, all the more laudably authentic for their unwillingness to turn a blind eye to the indifferent brutality of nature. The prose is serviceable and straightforward, with a few efforts to be poetic (e.g., repeated use of the image of the bones "whispering" their secrets). Overall, a unique book, possibly a good gift for slightly older, more scientifically-minded children, and a nice change of pace from more mainstream whale picture books. (See my other reviews of whale-themed picture books here.)
I like how this book uses one clear, vivid, concrete example to teach youngsters how a fossil can change the way we understand something much bigger. I like how the book literally brings geology to kids' backyards, showing them that the wonder of science can be found anywhere. I also think it's salutary for people to learn from an early age that the Earth wasn't always the way it is now -- that is, habitable by humans -- and that it's therefore entirely possible for it to shift back away from habitability in the future. There were elements of the narrative that struck me as perhaps a bit odd for a kid's book: Charlotte is anthropomorphized just enough to win kid readers' sympathies before she is portrayed suffering an agonizing death from stranding (while her fellow beluga whales look on in helpless distress), after which a matter-of-fact sequence of illustrations graphically depicts her corpse decaying and putrefying. This is all well and good for more grown-up readers, but I wonder what a tender-hearted young child reader would make of it. Still, the illustrations are quite pretty, all the more laudably authentic for their unwillingness to turn a blind eye to the indifferent brutality of nature. The prose is serviceable and straightforward, with a few efforts to be poetic (e.g., repeated use of the image of the bones "whispering" their secrets). Overall, a unique book, possibly a good gift for slightly older, more scientifically-minded children, and a nice change of pace from more mainstream whale picture books. (See my other reviews of whale-themed picture books here.)
September 27, 2018
WOW great book for a kid into science or a great way to introduce it. Going to be at my bookstore in a few weeks SO have to go see them
September 3, 2020
Charlotte's Bones: The Beluga Whale in a Farmer's Field is a children's picture book written by Erin Rounds and illustrated Allison Carver. It is the story of Charlotte, Vermont's official state marine fossil.
The Charlotte whale is the skeleton of a beluga whale that was found buried in sediment near Charlotte, Vermont in 1849. It is exhibited at the Perkins Museum of Geology at the University of Vermont. Found at the time when knowledge of Earth's natural history was nascent, it proved key evidence for developing a glacial theory of New England.
Rounds' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Rounds labors to draw a poetic message of Charlottes life from live whale to the 11,500-year-old bones that were discovered and unearthed in 1849 about 150 miles from the sea. Backmatter includes a map, glossary, and resource list. Carver supplies full-bleed landscapes of the life and fossilization of Charlotte the Beluga Whale.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It is a haunting, science-based retelling of how Charlotte died 11,000 years ago in a tidal marsh, how the marsh became a field, how Charlotte found a second life as the Vermont state fossil, and what messages her bones whisper about the fragility of life and our changing Earth.
All in all, Charlotte's Bones: The Beluga Whale in a Farmer's Field is a nearly seamless, but substantial introduction to a significant North American fossil in Charlotte.
The Charlotte whale is the skeleton of a beluga whale that was found buried in sediment near Charlotte, Vermont in 1849. It is exhibited at the Perkins Museum of Geology at the University of Vermont. Found at the time when knowledge of Earth's natural history was nascent, it proved key evidence for developing a glacial theory of New England.
Rounds' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Rounds labors to draw a poetic message of Charlottes life from live whale to the 11,500-year-old bones that were discovered and unearthed in 1849 about 150 miles from the sea. Backmatter includes a map, glossary, and resource list. Carver supplies full-bleed landscapes of the life and fossilization of Charlotte the Beluga Whale.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It is a haunting, science-based retelling of how Charlotte died 11,000 years ago in a tidal marsh, how the marsh became a field, how Charlotte found a second life as the Vermont state fossil, and what messages her bones whisper about the fragility of life and our changing Earth.
All in all, Charlotte's Bones: The Beluga Whale in a Farmer's Field is a nearly seamless, but substantial introduction to a significant North American fossil in Charlotte.
November 19, 2018
Loved this picture book about Beluga bones found in Vermont in the 1800s.
November 9, 2018
Why we chose this book:
I came across the cover of this book on Facebook, and was intrigued. The synopsis prompted me to request a review copy from Tillbury House Publishers, which provided one.
Mom's Review (V)
An illustrated explanation of why a fossilized beluga whale was found in a Vermont field.
Of course there are fossils from animals other than dinosaurs. But when I hear "fossil," I immediately think of dinosaurs. And I know I'm guilty of passing that on to T. Charlotte's Bones is a beautiful way to expand that understanding of fossils. The narrative follows a beluga whale who becomes trapped in shallow water in an inland sea in what is now Vermont. The process by which her body decayed and fossilized is explained in terms easily understood, as is the change in the landscape over the centuries. Fast forward to 1849: the bones were discovered during railroad construction, removed, and studied. Today, you can actually visit "Charlotte" in a museum in Vermont. Back matter provides more extensive information about the Ice Age, beluga whales, and Charlotte's discovery.
This is a wonderful book. Science, art, natural history, regional history, animals, bones, ...my list of reasons why this should appeal goes on. Unfortunately, T was not as keen on this book as I was. He is upset that Charlotte is dead. The fact of her death has overshadowed my entire list of amazing attributes. I am sad that he is sad, but I still highly recommend this book. Charlotte's Bones is a beautiful story of natural history. And now I totally want to go see the fossil! Not only did I enjoy reading the story (I like it when I can learn from picture books, and I learned a lot from this one), but I am also prompted by this book to read more with T about prehistoric times and animals. This is certainly a broad topic, but the details in this book will provide us with a starting point. Perhaps I seek out books on glaciers or caribou, preferably something where no one dies in the story. So, I liked the book, and it makes me want to read more with T, but I also feel inspired to explore the woods and the outskirts of our yard more. I mentioned digging the drainage trench in my Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon post, and I had hoped to find something interesting while digging, but I didn't. Now I'd like to explore the yard a bit more (it's overgrown to say the least); I do not expect to find fossils, but who knows what we might see?
Son's Review (T)
(Age: 3 and 1/2 years)
While reading:
Son: Why couldn't they [the whales on her pod] help her?
Mom: Let's read again..."she swam too close to the marsh...and was trapped." Can they swim in there? What might happen to her?
Son: No. She might die.
______________________________________________
Son, looking at illustration of decay: Is that Charlotte?
Mom: It is. What does it look like is happening to her body?
Son: It's getting cracked. Why is her body breaking?
Mom: It's decomposing. What is left after it decomposes?
(We read a book all about decomposing, so this is not a new concept or term.)
Son: Bones. I can tell you what happens with dead whales. So if they die, then they will become a new kind of the animal that has the same name. Isn't that weird?
Mom: Yes.
After reading:
Mom: What would you do if you found some strange bones?
Son: I would be curious.
Mom: What did you think of this story?
Son: I thought it was a sad story since the animal died.
Mom: What's the most important thing to know about this book?
Son: That it's about a dead animal.
Mom: What did you think about the ending?
Son: I want all the animals that live in the water to swim.
Mom: We could go see Charlotte's fossil. Would you want to?
Son: I would want to see it where it could swim.
I came across the cover of this book on Facebook, and was intrigued. The synopsis prompted me to request a review copy from Tillbury House Publishers, which provided one.
Mom's Review (V)
An illustrated explanation of why a fossilized beluga whale was found in a Vermont field.
Of course there are fossils from animals other than dinosaurs. But when I hear "fossil," I immediately think of dinosaurs. And I know I'm guilty of passing that on to T. Charlotte's Bones is a beautiful way to expand that understanding of fossils. The narrative follows a beluga whale who becomes trapped in shallow water in an inland sea in what is now Vermont. The process by which her body decayed and fossilized is explained in terms easily understood, as is the change in the landscape over the centuries. Fast forward to 1849: the bones were discovered during railroad construction, removed, and studied. Today, you can actually visit "Charlotte" in a museum in Vermont. Back matter provides more extensive information about the Ice Age, beluga whales, and Charlotte's discovery.
This is a wonderful book. Science, art, natural history, regional history, animals, bones, ...my list of reasons why this should appeal goes on. Unfortunately, T was not as keen on this book as I was. He is upset that Charlotte is dead. The fact of her death has overshadowed my entire list of amazing attributes. I am sad that he is sad, but I still highly recommend this book. Charlotte's Bones is a beautiful story of natural history. And now I totally want to go see the fossil! Not only did I enjoy reading the story (I like it when I can learn from picture books, and I learned a lot from this one), but I am also prompted by this book to read more with T about prehistoric times and animals. This is certainly a broad topic, but the details in this book will provide us with a starting point. Perhaps I seek out books on glaciers or caribou, preferably something where no one dies in the story. So, I liked the book, and it makes me want to read more with T, but I also feel inspired to explore the woods and the outskirts of our yard more. I mentioned digging the drainage trench in my Franklin and Luna Go to the Moon post, and I had hoped to find something interesting while digging, but I didn't. Now I'd like to explore the yard a bit more (it's overgrown to say the least); I do not expect to find fossils, but who knows what we might see?
Son's Review (T)
(Age: 3 and 1/2 years)
While reading:
Son: Why couldn't they [the whales on her pod] help her?
Mom: Let's read again..."she swam too close to the marsh...and was trapped." Can they swim in there? What might happen to her?
Son: No. She might die.
______________________________________________
Son, looking at illustration of decay: Is that Charlotte?
Mom: It is. What does it look like is happening to her body?
Son: It's getting cracked. Why is her body breaking?
Mom: It's decomposing. What is left after it decomposes?
(We read a book all about decomposing, so this is not a new concept or term.)
Son: Bones. I can tell you what happens with dead whales. So if they die, then they will become a new kind of the animal that has the same name. Isn't that weird?
Mom: Yes.
After reading:
Mom: What would you do if you found some strange bones?
Son: I would be curious.
Mom: What did you think of this story?
Son: I thought it was a sad story since the animal died.
Mom: What's the most important thing to know about this book?
Son: That it's about a dead animal.
Mom: What did you think about the ending?
Son: I want all the animals that live in the water to swim.
Mom: We could go see Charlotte's fossil. Would you want to?
Son: I would want to see it where it could swim.
August 31, 2020
An interesting look at archaeology and how it informs our perception of the history of our world.
A survey of how the landscape of Canada and the Northeastern U.S. changed, from the Ice Age to modern times. After this epic change in physical form, the skeleton of an animal was discovered while digging to build a road. A naturalist was called in to identify the remains and theorized how it came to be in this land-locked location.
Rounds has done a commendable job of building this wonderful narrative non-fiction title in an expanded timeline format. The reader is transported back in time, in order to understand how/why the beluga became stranded and buried in this particular spot. Backmatter includes some information about beluga whales, a map of the region when it was flooded, more detail about the discovery and development of the theory, cursory information about other Ice Age mammals that lived/have been found in the Champlain Valley, a glossary of terms, and a short list resources.
Alison Carver's lovely illustrations do a magnificent job of visually transporting readers back in time. Her heavy use of shades of green and blue are enhanced with pops and spots of purple, brown, and yellow. She provides an interesting perspective whenever possible.
This would be excellent to use when transitioning study about the Ice Age to modern times, archaeology, biological studies. Very solidly rooted in STEM.
Recommended for grades K-4.
A survey of how the landscape of Canada and the Northeastern U.S. changed, from the Ice Age to modern times. After this epic change in physical form, the skeleton of an animal was discovered while digging to build a road. A naturalist was called in to identify the remains and theorized how it came to be in this land-locked location.
Rounds has done a commendable job of building this wonderful narrative non-fiction title in an expanded timeline format. The reader is transported back in time, in order to understand how/why the beluga became stranded and buried in this particular spot. Backmatter includes some information about beluga whales, a map of the region when it was flooded, more detail about the discovery and development of the theory, cursory information about other Ice Age mammals that lived/have been found in the Champlain Valley, a glossary of terms, and a short list resources.
Alison Carver's lovely illustrations do a magnificent job of visually transporting readers back in time. Her heavy use of shades of green and blue are enhanced with pops and spots of purple, brown, and yellow. She provides an interesting perspective whenever possible.
This would be excellent to use when transitioning study about the Ice Age to modern times, archaeology, biological studies. Very solidly rooted in STEM.
Recommended for grades K-4.
January 10, 2019
Charlotte’s Bones: The Beluga Whale in a Farmer’s Field by Erin Rounds, illustrated by Alison Carver. NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK. Tilbury House, 2018. $18. 9780884484851
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
As the ice age ended, the now fields of Vermont were covered by a massive inland ocean. When one Beluga whale got caught in the grassy marshes, she was left behind as her pod swam away. Left to discovered in a farmer’s field in 1849.
What a great introduction to the fossil record, archaeology, the Ice Age, or many other topics. I will be sharing this with my middle school science teachers to see who needs it for their classroom use for sure.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
As the ice age ended, the now fields of Vermont were covered by a massive inland ocean. When one Beluga whale got caught in the grassy marshes, she was left behind as her pod swam away. Left to discovered in a farmer’s field in 1849.
What a great introduction to the fossil record, archaeology, the Ice Age, or many other topics. I will be sharing this with my middle school science teachers to see who needs it for their classroom use for sure.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
August 20, 2018
Charlotte's Bones, written by Erin Rounds and illustrated by Alison Carver, is a book that everyone should own. It has something for everyone. It's a mystery- how did whale bones end up in a farmer's field in Vermont? It's full of science facts for the scientist. It's got bones for the archeologist. It is written in beautiful flowing prose that gives the feeling of Charlotte the whale swimming through the pages. It is also perfectly illustrated with earthy tones of blues, greens and browns. It is everything that nonfiction should be. It could be used as an introduction to many important topics at home or at school including life cycles, changing habitats, life stories, ocean life, marshes, Vermont history, the list is endless! I highly recommend this beautiful book!
March 7, 2023
"That was great," my 10-year-old said after hearing "Charlotte's Bones" for the first time. The book takes the reader back in time and imagines how a beluga whale now known as Charlotte might have lived her final days. This is a fantastic book to help kids understand how fossils are created and how the Earth has changed over time. Perfect for fossil units and curious kids, "Charlotte's Bones" reminds us how "new" our understanding of our planet really is. My son especially loved the idea of the past whispering to him. With substantial backmatter that could allow a teacher or parent to deepen a child's learning.
December 30, 2018
Living and growing up in Vermont, I took for granted the whale tail statue along the highway as a child. This book, beautifully and poetically written, brings the history of our state, and it's transformation over the ages, alive for readers young and old alike. Perfect for a bedside readaloud, or classroom discussion, this book is a bright and beautiful addition to your personal library. I'm looking forward to many more books by this promising author!
January 24, 2019
This book had lovely illustrations and it was beautifully written. It would be a fantastic book to use to introduce geological concepts to an older elementary school child. It might be a little bit distressing for younger children, however, as it alludes (very gently) the the whale’s death and then shows illustrations of the whale as it decomposes . My 2-year-old was just young enough to not really understand, but I can see my sensitive first-grader being upset by it.
June 25, 2020
What a beautiful and fascinating story! I love that the authors did this whale's history justice, and the illustrations are nicely done. Further history at the back of the book explains how part of New England was, at one point, under ocean water. As a native East Coaster, I was really fascinated by this story and the idea that a whale fossil could be recovered in Vermont.
February 27, 2019
This engaging, scientific based story with accessible and detailed illustrations tells about the discovery of an 11,000 year old beluga whale's bones. Facts about beluga whales, ice age mammals and how the bones where discovered are included at the back of the book.
June 19, 2019
A lovely introduction to geology and paleontology. I quite like that it's kind but not sentimental. It's the wrong reading level for my nephew at this point and thankfully he's got a good grounding in basic science already, but I'll keep it in mind as a gift.
August 20, 2019
This was a wonderfully colorful and brief story, not to wordy in the main body of the book. However there is a lot of info at the end of the story for those readers interested in more facts than historic fiction! =)
October 28, 2019
Excellent account of the passage of geologic time and the 1849 discovery of a Beluga whale’s skeleton in a Vermont field that helped to prove the Earth was older, and had a more complicated and dynamic history than was then imagined.
October 5, 2021
This book about the remarkable discovery of whale bones in a field in Vermont is interesting, informative, and beautifully written and illustrated. I bought this for my little girl, but I have read it more than she has. I wish I had non-fiction books like this when I was a kid!
April 15, 2019
Fascinating story reconstructing how the bones of a beluga whale that died 11,000 years ago were found in a farmerer's field in Vermont in the 19th century.
October 20, 2019
Good introduction to science, the life cycle and naturalists.
June 1, 2021
Great back matter!
June 21, 2024
This is a fantastic historical book! I love that it talks about Vermont history and animal history. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.
November 16, 2024
I didn’t love this. I think kids could have a hard time with the death of the whale early in the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2026
I'm just going to silently sob at my desk, thanks.
August 14, 2018
I love this book for many reasons, one of them being the wonderful illustrations that fill the pages. Not only are the illustrations bright, colorful, and beautiful- they also add another dimension to this book, and expand the age range. You could read this book to a younger child that might not have the capability to read yet and they would get the concept of the story.
Although this book is short, it does not lack information. Charlotte’s Bones also contains a thorough appendix that expounds on the entire story.
This story is uncomplicated, yet still very educational. I once was a young archaeology enthusiast, I loved fossils and daydreamed about going on a dig someday. I still like archaeology quite a lot, and enjoyed this story. This book would have been a wonderful one to read when I was younger, but I’m glad to have read it now and hope to be able to recommend it often!
Although this book is short, it does not lack information. Charlotte’s Bones also contains a thorough appendix that expounds on the entire story.
This story is uncomplicated, yet still very educational. I once was a young archaeology enthusiast, I loved fossils and daydreamed about going on a dig someday. I still like archaeology quite a lot, and enjoyed this story. This book would have been a wonderful one to read when I was younger, but I’m glad to have read it now and hope to be able to recommend it often!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews