David Digs with the Dinosaur Hunter

By Ailynn Collins and Eva Morales

When David and his parents arrive in Lusk, Wyoming, in 1889, they are not welcomed with open arms. As Chinese immigrants, they are all too familiar with the discrimination they immediately encounter at the general store. Nonetheless, their need to earn money before continuing eastward leads them to find work at John Bell Hatcher’s archaeological dig site just outside of town. Soon David learns that the brilliant paleontologist is on the hunt for dinosaur bones! Can he help Hatcher make the dino discovery of a lifetime?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Jan 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781663911865

Ailynn Collins

Ailynn Collins learned a lot about writing from her teachers at Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. She has always loved reading science fiction stories about other worlds and strange aliens. She enjoys creating new characters and worlds for her stories, as well as envisioning what the future might look like. When not writing, Collins enjoys spending her spare time reading and playing board games with her family. She lives near Seattle, Washington, with her husband and loveable dogs.

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David Digs with the Dinosaur Hunter by Ailynn Collins, Illustrated by Eva Morales

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Chapter One: A New Adventure

Chapter Two: Bones Everywhere

Chapter Three: The Great Dinosaur Hunter

Chapter Four: Raising a Dragon

Chapter Five: Time to Go

The History Behind John Bell Hatcher and His Discovery

Glossary

Activity

About the Author

About the Illustrator

Copyright

Back Cover

Cover

Title Page

Table of Contents

Start of Content

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back cover

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Chapter One

A New Adventure

The Wong family was tired and dusty as they made their way into the small town of Lusk, Wyoming. Even though it was late spring 1889, the sunshine felt very hot that day. Their horse was on his last legs and desperately needed food and water.

Wait here, Siu-Long, Mr. Wong instructed his son as they stopped outside the General Store. Mama and I will go inside and buy whatever food we can afford.

Mrs. Wong clutched her cloth purse with both hands. It contained all the savings the small family had.

The Wongs had moved out of San Francisco when a third fire had burned yet another neighbor’s house down. The family went to Wyoming in search of Siu-Long’s great-uncle, who had promised them work.

On this two-year journey, the family had stopped in different towns on their way to Wyoming. Siu-Long’s father had taken on many odd jobs, from farmwork to mining, just to survive. His mother had made a bit of money mending torn clothes and sometimes making new ones for the workers. Both had saved up as much as they could. They were lucky, in a way. They had no family to send money back to in China. So, all the money they made, they saved for their family’s future.

Don’t talk to strangers, Siu-Long’s mother warned, just before she disappeared into the store. "And let the horse drink as much water as he needs. He’s been very good to