A Father and Daughter in Search of America’s Prehistoric Past

by Casper Hill — Media Relations Manager, Ramsey County Library

In “Dinosaur Dreams”, author B.J. Hollars takes his daughter on a road trip to investigate
our enduring fascination with dinosaurs while weaving together science, history, and
personal narrative.

Through encounters with paleontologists, museum collections and his own young
child’s curiosity, Hollars reflects on how prehistoric creatures shape our imagination and
understanding of deep time. The book becomes both a meditation on wonder and a
reminder of how stories— ancient and modern— help us make sense of the world.

Book Description from the University of Nebraska Press:
“In the summer of 2023, one of the hottest on record, B.J. Hollars and his nine-
year-old daughter Ellie embarked on a two-thousand-mile road trip to complete
the Montana Dinosaur Trail, a fourteen-stop trail consisting of museums, state
parks and dinosaur dig sites throughout a state known for its Mesozoic-era fossil
record. Throughout their two-week journey, they dig fossils, learn from amateur
and professional paleontologists and forge a bond even stronger than the
dinosaurs they love.

Join B.J. and Ellie on a road trip that spans not just miles but millennia. With
every stop, they deepen their understanding of dinosaurs, extinction, and what
the fossil record might teach us about how best to preserve our planetary home.
Together, father and daughter strive to answer the vital question of our age: Can
we humans evolve fast enough to ensure our own survival?”

This book is a charming, thought-provoking tale that takes the reader through time on
an adventure that’s full of discovery. Find copies of Dinosaur Dreams at the Ramsey
County Library or on Libby.