LitPick Review
Dinosaur Eggs and Blue Ribbons is an autobiography about the true life travels and experiences of Barnas Monteith (Barney) throughout his life. He discusses his adventures with science fairs and paleontology, among other things. He shares some tips about how to win science fairs and how to talk to the judges. He advises readers to take advantage of any opportunities available in the science field, including going to and participating in science fairs and science shows, taking part in field work, and signing up for STEM classes. For the most part, though, he talks about his science fair project, and how he was able to research all the phases of it.
Opinion:
This was not the book I thought it would be. I was hoping it would be suggestions for different science fair projects and tips for how to make boards and themes ‘pop‘ for judges. Instead, it was a monologue about Barney’s experiences. I did not find it interesting, especially when it was difficult to know which age he was during each description; it did not seem to go chronologically. The farther into the book I got, the more confusing it was to try to figure out if he was in high school, college, or working as an adult. It sounded more like a brag book than a science fair book. If I were to give him any tips to make this better, I would suggest that it be written more chronologically, more kid-friendly (talking to a twelve-year-old, not a high-schooler), and make it more interesting, not just about his one project over and over.
