I write to engage and encourage curiosity. I hope to tap into a child’s natural sense of wonder and help get them started on a pathway toward discovery.

I enjoy writing about science topics because I find them utterly fascinating with compelling twists and turns and—very often—open ended questions; questions that invite readers to make their own discoveries and contributions somewhere down the line.

It’s exceptionally important to present science in accessible and fun ways, particularly to combat the “hard” and “boring” reputation that science has attained with too many students.

For me, curiosity is the key to unlocking the mysteries of our world.

A full-page spread from Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled, Houghton Mifflin, 2013

Catherineauthor

Thimmesh

catherinethimmesh.com

Intriguing True Stories

Recent Books

from Catherine Thimmesh

Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled: How Do We Know What Dinosaurs Really Looked Like?

No human being has ever seen a Triceratops or Velociraptor or even the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex. They left behind only their impressive bones. So how can scientists know what color dinosaurs were? Or if their flesh was scaly or feathered? Could that fierce T. rex have been born with spots? In a first for young readers, Thimmesh follows paleoartists through the scientific process of ascertaining the appearance of various dinosaurs from millions of years ago to learn how science, art, and imagination combine to bring us face-to-face with the past.

“Readers will come away from this excellent book with a new appreciation for dinosaur imagery and for the talented paleoartists who produce it.” — Horn Book, starred review

Horn Book Fanfare, Best of 2013; NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books 2013; School Library Journal Best Books 2013

Houghton Mifflin, 2013, hardcover, ISBN 978-0-547-99134-4

Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships

What makes a camel friends with a Vietnamese pig? Or a wild polar bear with a sled dog?In a book for young readers, Catherine Thimmesh makes us wonder at the truth and mystery of unlikely animal friendships. Because the stories behind these friendships are true, not contrived, they not only give readers insight into animals, but challenge preconceived notions about compatibility. Without becoming didactic or laden with message, this book expresses tolerance of differences and makes us look at the kindness of animals—and humans—a little differently.

2011 Summer IndieNext List; NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book; California Reading Association's Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Book Award; Chicago Public Library's 2012 Best of the Best; Minnesota Book Award finalist

Houghton Mifflin, 2011, hardcover 978-0-547-39010-9

WATCH THE VIDEO: http://bit.ly/KtOZnc

Lucy Long Ago: Uncovering the Mystery of Where We Came From

Illustrated in full color throughout with stunning computer-generated artwork and with rare paleo photography, this story of scientific sleuthing invites us to wonder what our ancestors were like. From the discovery of Lucy's bones in Hadar, Ethiopia, to the process of recovering and interpreting them (a multidisciplinary approach with contributions from paleontologists, paleoanthropologists, archeologists, geologists and geochronologists), this book shows how a pile of 47 bones led scientists to discover a new—and, at 3.2 million years old, a very very old—species of hominid, ancestral to humans.

“Every time Ms. Thimmesh writes a new book my heart goes pitter-pat, and this book was no exception with its fantastic length, great pictures, and superb research.” — Elizabeth Bird, Fuse #8

Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books of 2009; School Library Journal Best Books of 2009

Houghton Mifflin, 2009, hardcover, 978-0-547-05199-4

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