The Opal Dinosaur

By Yvonne Mes & Sylvia Morris
Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

Yvonne Mes is a multi faceted creator who writes and illustrates children’s books including Oliver’s Grumbles, Trouble in the Henhouse, and Meet Sydney Nolan. Here she has teamed up with children’s illustrator and science communicator Sylvia Morris to create a perfectly balanced, sensitively told account of the discovery of the most complete opalised dinosaur fossils ever found in Australia.

The story starts immediately as you open the book. The front endpapers show the dinosaur 100 million years ago placed at the edge of the Eromanga Sea in Gondwana. If you look carefully you can see the outline of present day Australia superimposed on Gondwana.

Its not known how the opal dinosaur died but Yvonne imagines a scenario where Lightning Claw, a Megaraptorid, the largest predators in Australia at the time terrifies the opal dinosaur who is separated from the herd and

slips, scrambles, and splashes into the angry river. …
The little dinosaur stops moving. She stops breathing.
And while her body comes to rest, the river rushes on.
But this is not the end for the little dinosaur. Her story is just beginning.

Fast forward to 1984 when opal miner Bob Foster discovers some dinosaur fossils. After time spent in the Australian Museum Bob donates the fossils to the Australia Opal Centre in Lightning Ridge. There they are seen by Dr Phil Bell, a visiting palaeontologist, who realises that here is a treasure in more ways than one. The newly discovered dinosaur is an iguanodontid and is named Fostoria dhimbangunmal, after the man who found her and to honour the Traditional Custodians of the land on which she rests.

There is so much to learn and discover here! Sylvia’s meticulously researched illustrations reveals Australian flora and fauna from 100 million years ago to today. It is hard to believe that bunya pine nuts were around that long ago.  We learn how fossils are created and how they become opalised, (not all opals are fossils, just some). We also gain insight into how opal miners and palaeontologists work,  presenting an encouraging example of people working together further scientific knowledge and understanding. Two pages at the back describe in more detail who the little dinosaur actually was, who were the other dinosaurs in the story, why the dinosaurs became extinct (yes, the meteor), how opalised dinosaur fossils are formed and what happens when a miner finds an opalised fossil. The back endpapers complete the story with another map – this time of present day Australia with the little dinosaur in situ and a modern timeline. And there is a glossary.

We all know how popular dinosaurs are with children and I am sure this attractively presented story, which so successfully blends imagination and information will become an instant favourite.  It sets a standard that makes it a must for all home and school libraries.

Recommended reading age 5 – 9 but younger children will readily respond to the appeal of this little dinosaur.

CSIRO Publishing 2024  
Yvonne Mes
Sylvia Morris