Students love a good story. That is why incorporating literary fiction that parallels teaching goals and standards can be effective. In the interdisciplinary, thematic six-week unit described in this article, the authors use the fictional book "The Deep Time Diaries," by Gary Raham, to explore topics in paleontology, Earth science, and creative journaling. The "Deep Time Diaries" consists of a sequence of fictional diary entries by 10-year-old Neesha and 14-year-old Jon Olifee, siblings who share the usual combination of love and rivalry. Elements of voice and sensory detail abound in the book, and the characters have qualities that middle school students relate to easily. This article further discusses the concept and provides an overview of The "Deep Time Diaries" unit. It also presents additional teaching labs and activities, as well as author/illustrator-aided activities. (Contains 2 figures and 1 online resource.)