EWU student teacher Andrea McClanahan  (working in Ms. Germack's class) sent me these questions from her second graders.  I was very happy to answer them to the best of my ability. 

Does your class have questions, too?  Send them to me!  I'll do my best to answer.

Kelly


C., L., and M.

1.  Have you found a fossil in Spokane?

Fossils have been found in Spokane including plants and trilobites (sea creatures that went extinct 250 million years ago).  But Spokane was under water during most of the dinosaur days (see map of the Jurassic world above).  Other prehistoric ocean states have found dinosaurs that fell into the oceans.  But after our watery days, we had volcanic days.  Deep layers of hardened lava called basalt cover big parts of Spokane, so if there are dinosaurs under there, we may never find them.  Basalt is so hard and so deep, it's hard to dig underneath it.  We can hope, though. 

2.  What's your favorite dinosaur?

My favorite plant eater is the Parasaurolophus, a duckbill dinosaur with a trumpeting crest on its head.

My favorite meat eater -- all the dinosaurs in the raptor family including Velociraptor.

3.  What is your favorite museum?

It's probably a tie between the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada.  Both have amazing dinosaur exhibits and I love dinosaurs.  

M., C. & C.

1.  What is our favorite dinosaur?

My favorite plant eater is the Parasaurolophus, a duckbill dinosaur with a trumpeting crest on its head.

My favorite meat eater -- all the dinosaurs in the raptor family including Velociraptor.
 
2.  What is your first book?

My first book was called DINO TREKKING and it listed where you could see fossils all over the country.  I was published again as the Dinosaur Travel Guide.

3.  What is your favorite meat eater?

See above.  : )

V., I. & M.

1.  What is your favorite color?   RED.  I love red.

2.  What is your favorite dinosaur?

My favorite plant eater is the Parasaurolophus, a duckbill dinosaur with a trumpeting crest on its head.

My favorite meat eater -- all the dinosaurs in the raptor family including Velociraptor.

3.  What is your favorite book?

I loved CHARLOTTE'S WEB when I was a kid and I still love it now.

D., A. & R.

1.  Are you a paleontologist?

No, I'm not.  But I am lucky enough to know a whole LOT of paleontologists and they have taught me a lot about dinosaurs.

2.  What's your favorite color?  Still RED.  : )

3.  Do you like to go to the museum? 

I love going to the museum.  I like natural history museums best, but I like other kinds of museums, too.

A. & D.

1.  Which book is your favorite?

I love all the books I've written so it's hard to pick a favorite.  But I just finished writing a new book called HATCHLINGS: A LIFE SIZE LOOK AT BABY DINOSAURS and you're the first to hear about it.  Kinda love that one right now.

2.  Have you ever been to a museum?

I travel a lot and the one place I love to visit in any town is their natural history museum.  LOVE museums.

3.  Have you been to Arizona?

Yes, I have been to Arizona to speak at a special event called DINO-FEST.  And I've been a few other times, as well.  Great state.  Lots of dinosaurs!

N. & B.J.

1.  Have you found a gizzard stone?

I have not, but many paleontologists have, especially in sauropod or long neck dinosaur stomachs.  They ate rocks to help them grind up their food.  Chickens do the same thing, now.  Pretty cool, if you ask me.

2.  What is your favorite color?  Still RED.  Yup. 

M., G. & R.

1.  How long have you been writing books?

My first book came out in 1996.  Before that, I wrote articles for kid's magazines -- more than 1,500 of them. 

2.  Have you put bones in a museum?

If I ever found a great fossil, I would put it in a museum so everyone could enjoy it, instead of just me.  I did help dig up a T. rex once.  It's in a museum in Wisconsin now.

3.  Have paleontologists found Allosaurus?

Yes.  It's a smaller cousin to T. rex.

J., A. & R.

1.  Is your favorite dinosaur Ankylosaurus?

No, but it is one of my very favorites.  I have a real affection for those armored dinosaurs with club tails.  So great, aren't they?

2.  What do you like to do when you're not writing books?

I like to paint, and take photographs and explore interesting places.  I used to ski and play tennis, but I have a hurt knee, so I can't do those sports anymore. 

3.  What is your favorite book to read?

I don't have much time to read for fun because I'm always reading for my next books.  Right now I'm reading books about video games because I want to write a book for kids about the history of video games.

And yes...I'm learning to like spiders, too!