A little-known, fascinating story about Thomas Jefferson and his obsessive quest to find America’s first complete mastodon skeleton.

Thomas Jefferson: Third president of the United States. Author of the Declaration of Independence. Obsessive prehistoric mammal hunter?? It’s true! In this little-known slice of American history, see Thomas Jefferson as never before!

Candice Ransom researched this amazing story for years before telling this tale, closely collaborating with Jefferson scholars and natural history experts. Jamey Christoph’s moody, luminous illustrations paint the scene: A young country, a president with a thirst for knowledge, and an obsessive, years-long quest to find the prehistoric bones that would prove the importance of a growing nation.