Can YOU Dig It?: Archaeology Lost & Found in the Sands of Time

My 8 year old daughter can now speak to what an archeologist does! Because she is aware of historical places, learning about some of these places in this book has helped her become aware of the significance of these said places!

This is such a nifty little book. While it is a little bit much for the wee archaeologists in your life, those that are 8 or older will really learn a lot about the field of archaeology! There is a glossary at the beginning, which is really helpful for both children and parents who want to learn the archaeological terms. I loved the cake analogy, and how it was used to explain deposition and stratigraphy. I also loved that there were activities peppered throughout. Things like matching a site map to a photo of the actual site itself and learning about trade using King Tut's mask are not only educational but they are FUN TO DO! The book is an excellent educational entry into the discipline of archaeology, and it ends by explaining how kids can become more involved. It ends with questions that the children can answer themselves. I think this book would be an excellent textbook for science classes in grades 4-7. Again, this book is not for younger children. It presents complex procedures utilized by archaeologists throughout the world, and is meant more as an educational book rather than a cute pop up book. However it is not too complex for the child who has expressed a real interest in what archaeology is and is not, how one "does" archaeology, and how they themselves can become involved. A quick, educational, and fantastic read to have with your child!

As an educator who has a minor in archaeology and is working on a masters degree, I have to say that this was very informative, but it was fun and easy to understand. I'm using this book to teach an elective on archaeology to K-4 grades. I had been wondering how I would broach the subject of stratigraphy with them, but I needn't have worried.The analogy of a layered cake did just the trick. It was perfect, and really helped the students understand stratigraphy and occupational layers so much better. I can't say enough good things about this book. It's amazing and should be in any educator's personal library.

This is a great introductory book to archaeology that is perfect for anyone from around 8 years old and up. Although it uses some big words that might be challenging for younger readers, it provides a glossary right at the beginning (a genius idea) with simpler explanations so that younger readers can still understand the meanings and learn some really cool big words at the same time! Another really cool and smart feature is that you can hover over words that are underlined in the book and it will give the glossary definition of the word so that you don't have to keep going back to the glossary.Probably my favorite thing about this book is that it also has some simple yet powerful ways of relating things about archaeology to modern day so that anyone can quickly understand the concepts (LOVE the layer cake explanation!!) and has some good illustrations along with pictures from actual digs.The book is long enough to cover a lot of stuff, but not so long that you lose interest. I really enjoyed it and learned some new things in the process.

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. Archaeology is such a fascinating subject. I have always loved history and to see what scientists are doing today to learn more about it is just so much fun.This book is written in a simple and entertaining way. It is somewhat interactive with pictures that give it the feel of a real history book - except it is a science book!This is a quick read, but that is definitely not a bad thing. You can pic it up, read it, enjoy and learn in just one sitting.I think this is a great book and I hope you agree.

At 23 pages, this is a super quick read. But you're not reading it for the words, charming and conversational as they are. You're reading it to see the amazing photographs of real-life archaeologists at work, and the digs in progress. "What do you think that is?" "How do you think that was used?" You (or your child) will be asking that question on almost every page. This is a fabulous book for evoking or encouraging curiosity about history and historical peoples. The lists of key definitions are a definite plus for a beginning student of archaeology, and the descriptions offer tantalizing hints for further exploration.

Dig into time with Amanda Baker! I love her analogy of a layer cake as she describes the wonderful world of archeology in terms perfect for children to absorb! Through words and pictures, she takes young readers on a journey that is not about just rocks. Rather, it is about uncovering precious clues to how people before us used to Live. Bright, interesting, and engaging pictures take you to distant lands! Love the glossary of terms in the beginning of the book -- easy access for readers.

A wonderful little book, filled with precious information about archeology and the past. The pictures transport you back in time, and this is one of the many wonderful purposes of this book. The kids will love it! They will learn so many new and different things and notions, even I, myself, never knew. Terms like isotope analysis, stratigraphy and osteoarchaeology are not a mystery anymore. I can see this book in schools and I can see it shaping future archeologists!

The book has some useful and interesting information but for the price I really expected more.

This is a great introduction to archaeology. Suitable for all age groups. Lots of great info and photos. Would make a great coffee table book too.

"Can you dig it?" is a very nicely made introduction to archaeology for everyone. Although the author explicitly also targets children with her book (and she does this very well, in a non-condescending way, taking her young audience seriously), it is also a rewarding read for interested adults. Having always wondered how archaeologists manage to know something about ancient cultures, I learned a lot from this booklet. What makes the experience of reading even nicer it that you can really feel Amanda Baker's passion for the subject. Highly recommendable, not only for parents with children who only recently discovered Indiana Jones. ;-)

This is a great introduction to the world of archaeology with clear explanation and interesting pictures that will make a young person want to dig even deeper into this fascinating subject area.