Wednesday, July 20, 2016

PBParty 3: Mary Anning and the Colossal Fossil, Non-fiction

Title: Mary Anning & the Colossal Fossil
Genre: Non-fiction
Word Count: 670 

Query:

Dear Michelle and Sharon:

In 1810, when men dominated science, Mary Anning was only a girl, but a very determined girl. At age eleven, she changed science, proving the earth was older than believed. She, along with her brother, found the world’s first Ichthyosaur fossil and she excavated it herself. Mary went on to discover a full plesiosaur, and the first pterantodon in Great Britain. Though she didn’t receive credit for her accomplishments during her lifetime, current paleontologists have recognized her contribution and named a genus of plesiosaurs for her as well as a species of Ichthyosaurs. Her findings led to the establishment of the science of Paleontology.

Comps for MARY ANNING & the COLOSSAL FOSSIL, complete at 670 words, would be Fossil Girl by Catherine Brighton (1999) and Stone Girl, Bone Girl: The Story of Mary Anning by Sheila Moxley, (2006) both of which are outdated.

As a former Pre-K director, I can vouch for young children’s avid interest in dinosaurs and prehistoric marine reptiles. Some will amaze you that they can recognize the genus by the creature’s footprint. As an adult, I was fascinated with Mary’s story and I’m sure young children will be too.

I’m a published picture book author, an active SCBWI member, and a member of KIDLIT, INK, a marketing organization that promotes published children’s authors. My picture book is ROCK STAR SANTA (Scholastic 2008).

I’d like to thank you in advance for considering my manuscript. I look forward to your reply.


First 50 Words:
 
If you give a girl a shovel, what will she dig up?
If she’s Mary Anning—
 
an Ichthyosaurus,
 
a Plesiosaur,
 
and a Pteranodon.
 
And that’s just what she did!
 
Her father was a poor carpenter and an avid fossil hunter.
He taught Mary about the preserved remains
of sea creatures in the shale near their 

5 comments:

  1. I'd love to see more of this. Please send the query and full manuscript in the body of the email to querymichelle @ mansionstreet.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd love to see more of your manuscript! Please send to lara@andreabrownlit.com with "Requested" in the subject line. Thank you!

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  3. Andrea Cascardi would like you to send the full to andrea@transatlanticagency.com – include pitch and a little info about yourselves. Put PBParty Request in the subject line along with the title.

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  4. I'd love to see the full manuscript! Please e-mail Brianne Johnson at bjohnsonsubmissions@writershouse.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Interesting story/concept. Would love to see full manuscript. Pls send to ginger@lizaroyce.com.

    ReplyDelete