Birds of Stone makes visible the unexpected avian diversity that blanketed the earth just a short time [geologically speaking] after a dinosaur lineage gave rise to the first birds. Our visual journey through these fossils is guided by Luis M. Chiappe, a world expert on early birds, and Meng Qingjin, a leading figure in China's natural history museum community. Together, they help us understand the 'meaning' of each fossil by providing straightforward narratives that accompany the full-page photographs of the Jehol discoveries.