Should a girl have to choose between a passion for fashion and prospecting for fossils?  Not in 40 billion years! The summer before her junior year, paleontology geek Natalie Page lands a coveted internship at an Ice Age dig site near Austin, Texas. Natalie, who’s also a plus-size fashion blogger, depends on the retro style and persona she developed to shield herself from her former bullies, but vintage dresses and designer heels aren’t compatible with digging for fossils. But nothing is going to dampen her spirit. She’s exactly where she wants to be, and gets to work with her hero, the host of the most popular paleontology podcast in the world. And then there’s Chase, the intern, who’s seriously cute, and Cody, a local boy who’d be even cuter if he were less of a grouch. It’s a summer that promises to be about more than just mammoths. Until it isn’t. When Natalie’s paleontologist hero turns out to be anything but, and steals the credit for one of her accomplishments, she has to unearth the confidence she needs to stand out in a field dominated by men. To do this, she’ll have to let her true self shine, even if that means defying the rules and risking her life for the sake of a major discovery. While sifting through dirt, she finds more than fossils—she finds out that she is truly  awesome. Gr 9 Up-An engaging, complex heroine with an intriguing love of fashion and paleontology enables this story to succeed despite its less-than-credible plot. Natalie is a rising high school junior who, despite years of enduring fat jokes and cruel pranks, manages to hide her insecurities behind an easygoing, confident demeanor. She has learned to use body sculpting undergarments, flattering clothing, and makeup to redefine herself. Armed with a daily mantra of "be awesome," Natalie authors a popular blog that is part fashion and completely "paleo geek." This summer she has won an internship at the Central Texas Mammoth Site where she'll get hands-on experience working with fossils. Dressed to the nines, she heads off to follow in the footsteps of her paleontologist idol, Dr. Thomas Carver. Unfortunately, she's failed to account for the wilting Texas heat, the need for practical shoes, or the possibility of a summer romance. To her additional surprise, her fellow intern and roommate is the petite, cynical daughter of her idol. It doesn't take long to discover that there's a dark side to her desired profession that, devastating to Natalie, is personified by Dr. Carver and threatens the site where she's interning. Natalie determines to make the most of this opportunity, though, by using her considerable smarts, talent, and newfound daring. Sadly, her willingness to risk everything to unearth a rare fossil comes at an unexpected cost. In the end, she begins to recognize her intelligence and bravery as her defining qualities, and this revelation boosts her self-confidence and minimizes her preoccupation with her weight. VERDICT Science, fashion, and romance combine in this adventure with lots of appeal. A general purchase.-Cary ­Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “There is much to love here: a sweet romance, a determined portrayal of women in STEM fields, an encouraging tale of self-acceptance. Teens with ambition of their own will enjoy watching Natalie blossom.”  —Maggie Reagan,  Booklist Advanced Review "Mammoth  is infused with danger, deceit, and romance…With its focus on STEM and self-acceptance,  Mammoth  will resonate.”  —Catherine Thureson, Foreword Reviews "Put simply, this book was exactly what I needed, it’s light, but it doesn’t make light of things. It’s a happy story but it recognizes the difficulties the characters face. It made me smile, it made me tear up, it was just...lovely."  —Judith Moore, blogger “ Mammoth  is one of the best contemporaries of the year. It’s unique, entertaining, awesome, but most importantly: it’s a representative light to the world of YA fiction.”  —Kaya Lynch, blogger,  A Fictional Bookworm "Nerds and fashionistas alike can rejoice: Natalie is the unapologetically awesome heroine we've all been waiting for! Fresh and fun, this story is a love letter to paleontology, a great example of women in STEM, and a victory for anyone who's ever wanted to change what they see in the mirror. I can't say it enough: this book is a must-read!" —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series "This book brings me back to my teenage years, when I fell in love with paleontology. A fun story told with unapologetic verve, Mammoth reminds us that science must be open to anyone who has the passion and ambition to learn new things about the world. Natalie's enthusiasm and drive to follow her dreams are a great example for young people considering a career in science." —Steve Brusatte, paleontologist at University of Edinburgh and bestsel