Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (2010)

Another amazing historical fiction book by Tracy Chevalier. This time she takes the historical figure of Mary Anning, who discovered many unique fossils on the beaches of Lyme Regis, England in the 19th century. Since she is a woman and not an officially schooled scientist, she is not taken seriously, nor can she participate in scholarly discussions, but her discoveries provide the basis for a lot of work by scientists in her time. The story is partially told from Mary's point of view, and partially from Elizabeth Philpot, a gentlewoman who also is intrigued by fossils and who helps Mary.