Fossil Frenzy
Fossil Frenzy
International Book Awards 2021 Finalist Children’s Fiction
Also available through National Dinosaur Museum, The Book Cow Kingston, Paperchain Manuka, Bookface Gungahlin, Pop Canberra and where all good books are sold.
Fossil Frenzy
The Adamson Adventures
Book 3
The Adamson siblings are on their third thrilling adventure. There’s not a beach in sight this time, not even a drop of water. Zac, Clare and Luke find themselves in the drought-stricken present of outback Queensland where the only hope to save their Uncle’s farm is buried in the past.
Shortlisted in Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable Competition 2020. The manuscript was pitched to film producers in association with the Gold Coast Film Festival. Now it’s your turn to enjoy reading this exciting and engaging adventure set among the fossil region around Winton, Queensland.
Discover unusual Australian dinosaurs and mega-fauna along with the Adamson siblings.
Devastated by the effects of drought on the family farm, rock collector and all-round science buff, Zac has a plan. Along with his squabbling siblings, animal loving, Clare and trouble-making, Luke, the trio set off in search of dinosaur fossils. Not heeding weather warnings, they must seek shelter fast when two cyclones merge to descend upon the landscape. After the storm, the environment is strangely different.
A lush rainforest canopy now shelters them. A massive lake now fills the open plains. The homestead is nowhere in sight. Zac can’t reach Uncle Tom on his walkie-talkie and what’s worse, there’s a pile of ginormous poo that no cow could possibly have left behind.
Will they find the proof they need to save the family farm, or have they discovered much more than they ever thought possible?
Themes
Adventure
Drought
Sibling Rivalry
Cooperation
Climate Change
Resilience
Australian Dinosaurs and Mega-Fauna
Perfect for
Students aged 7 - 12
Adaptable Shortlisted
Through the Queensland Writers Centre Adaptable Competition 2020, Fossil Frenzy won along with a shortlist of 25 other authors books or manuscripts the opportunity to be pitched to Film Producers associated with the Gold Coast film Festival 2020.
Books on Tour
Fossil Frenzy was on book tour with Books on Tour PR and Marketing November 2020 - January 2021.
Reviews
Romi Sharp - Just Kids Lit
In this absolutely nail-biting, whirlwind of an adventure, it’s like Narnia meets Jurassic Park when the Adamson trio, and their dog Grommet, enter a new yet beautifully mystique land set in the past… as far back as the late Cretaceous period… with dinosaurs!
Mistie Dal - Author
This one was hard to put down. We would have happily continued reading - way past bedtime! Author, Sandra Bennett’s school teacher roots shine through in this action –packed adventure. Sandra captivates her audience right from the start and keeps you wanting more. Kids will be so enthralled in the action and experience, they won’t realise how much they’re learning.
Sally Odgers - Writer & Editor
The action is fast-moving and funny and frightening by turns, with enough fanciful twists to keep it from sounding teachy. Plot points are planted and harvested with panache, and the story ends on a strong and enticing note with a lure of more adventure to come.
Elizabeth Klein - Author
This Jurassic Park-sounding story unwraps itself like a multi-layered gift. The first layer grounds the reader in a drought-stricken homestead in Central Queensland where the parched earth of disaster looms across the ruined property.
Debra Clewer - Author
What a rip-roaring adventure this is! The third in the Adamson family adventure series. This is entrancing, attention-holding and riveting, as the three Adamson siblings go in search of dinosaur fossils to help save their Uncle Tom’s Queensland farm from financial ruin due to drought.
Cat Michaels - Writer
Set in the author’s native Australia, you’ll feel as if you are walking alongside the three Adamson siblings in drought-stricken Queensland. Living on the other side of the world, I was fascinated reading about the harshness of nature and climate in that region, and young readers will be, too.
Rosie Russell - Writer
Readers will be gripped to the pages as they go through a Time Portal and land back in the time of dinosaurs. The dangers that await, Luke, Clare, and Zac will engage middle grades readers with even more excitement.
Melissa Gijsbers - Writer
It was fantastic reading a dinosaur story set in Australia and learning about the Australian dinosaurs, and giant echidnas. Wombats are my favourite Australian animals, however echidnas are hot on their heels now.
Carmela Dutra - Writer
Having a dino loving son, this was a book I truly couldn't wait to read. He was a little young, being only four, but he was still engaged and loved the description of dinosaurs, and we were able to use this opportunity to discuss more about dinosaurs that once lived in the Australian outback.
Julie Gorges - Writer
What kid doesn't love dinosaurs with a bit of sci-fi thrown in? Add the wonder of the Australian outback with mobs of kangaroos and middle-aged kids will be hooked reading author Sandra Bennett's third book in her series about the three Adamson siblings.
Bennett's remarkable talent shines through once again!
Ashleigh Meikle - The Book Muse
It involves dinosaurs – so kids will love it! It will teach them about all kinds of dinosaurs and Australia during the Cretaceous period, and questions about time travel and fossils, and caring for animals.
A fun and riveting read for younger readers.
Toni Brisland - Writer
Children love dinosaurs – they really enjoy reading about them and imagining all sorts of giganticsus adventures with them and it was fabulous to read about Australian animals during the dinosaur period and how dangerous they could be: the Demon Duck of Doom also known as Bullockornis Planei or Thunderbird, meat eaters like the Megaraptor and the Australovemator Wintonensis, and the Giant Echidna or Zaglossus Hacketti, one of whom befriends and helps the children through the dangers of the forest and whom the children call “Spike”.
These are great ideas for teachers to take into a classroom and there is so much information weaved within the plot that this book would be an excellent resource for teachers introducing classrooms to dinosaurs and this exciting period in Australian history.