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Darcy Pattison

Survival! The oldest bird in the world had survived plastic pollution, longline fishing, and lead poisoning. But in 2011, she faced one of her hardest challenges: the Japanese tsunami.

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake struck off the shore of Japan sending a tsunami wave west to overrun Tōhoku, Japan. It killed thousands and destroyed a nuclear plant. But it also sent a tsunami wave east toward Midway Island.

Scientists knew the tsunami was coming, so they sheltered on the third story of an old army barracks building. The tsunami hit the island about midnight. The scientists said the scariest thing was that they could hear the water crashing ashore, but they couldn’t see anything.

Would the wildlife survive this natural disaster?

In this “Biography in Text and Art,” Harvill takes original photos as references to create accurate wildlife illustrations. These aren’t generic birds, but one particular individual in detail. Pattison’s careful research, vetted by scientists in the field, brings to life this this true story of an infant cub that must face a complicated world alone—and find a way to survive.

ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY ANIMAL -
Biographies of individual animals, including a bird, mammal, spider, amphibian, and reptile.

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Disasters for Over 60 Years • , Starred Publisher’s Weekly review
Abayomi, the Brazilian Puma: The True Story of an Orphaned Cub, BOOK 2, • 2015 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
Nefertiti, the Spidernaut: The Spider who Learned to Hunt in Space, Book 3, • 2017 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
Rosie, the Ribeter: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Book 4Diego, the Galápagos Giant Tortoise: Saving a Species from Extinction, Book 5

Greg Robinson

Mims House

Another Extraordinary Animal

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Dangers for Over 60 Years

ABAYOMI, THE BRAZILIAN PUMA: The True Story of an Orphaned Cub

by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Kitty Harvill

***NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book 2015***

When a mother puma, an attempt to steal a chicken, she is caught in a trap and dies. The search is on for orphaned cubs. Will the scientists be able to find the cubs before their time runs out?

Harvill uses original photos from the USGF as references to create accurate wildlife illustrations. These aren’t generic cats, but one particular individual in detail. Pattison’s careful research, vetted by scientists in the field, brings to life this this true story of an infant cub that must face a complicated world alone—and find a way to survive.

Cutting Edge Environmental Science

Today, scientists are working to create corridors, places for wildlife to safely travel from one wild place to another. The survival of this puma may depend on how fast scientists can develop corridors in the midst of a heavily populated area. This story shows the results of spreading population and loss of habitat on wild animals.

OTHER BOOKS BY PATTISON/HARVILL

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Disasters for Over 60 Years

Starred Publisher's Weekly Review

 • “. . .Pattison writes crisply and evocatively. . .”

 • “Harvill contributes carefully detailed and naturalistic illustrations. . .”

David DeSantos

Abayomi, the Brazilian Puma: The True Story of an Orphaned Cub

THE AMAZING VOYAGE OF NEFERTITI, THE SPIDERNAUT
Most spiders spin a web and passively wait for prey to come to them. Jumping spiders, by contrast, actively hunt by jumping to catch their food. What if a jumping spider was sent to the International Space Station? When it jumped, it would simply float. No one knew if the spider could hunt in a weightless environment.

This nonfiction picture book for elementary kids chronicles the amazing voyage of Nefertiti, the Spidernaut to the International Space Station and back. She’s a Phiddipus johnsonii, or Johnson jumping spider, native to western United States. Her colorful anatomy—red, black and teal—made for stunning photography and video. In 2012, Nefertitti clocked a record-breaking 100 days in space, during which time she circled Earth about 1584 times, traveling about 41,580,000 miles.

Astronaut Sunita Williams, Captain U.S. Navy said, “It was a suspense story for me as it happened. I didn’t know if she would survive when I unpacked her for the first time, or when I packed her up and sent her back home to Earth.”

This is an astonishing story of change: through the dark and cold, in spite of being weightless and isolated, this incredible spider adapted and learned to hunt. Against all odds, she survived to return to Earth, where she had to re-adapt to Earth’s gravity. Nefertiti’s story of survival brings hope that we, too, can adapt to a changing world.

Join Nefertiti in this inspiring journey into space.

Nefertiti, the Spidernaut: The Jumping Spider Who Learned to Hunt in Space

Who holds the world record triple jump record — for bullfrogs?

Rosie, the Ribeter.

She set the record in May 1986 at 21 feet 5 3/4 inches.

Her record has stood for over 30 years.

This is her story.

It all started with Mark Twain and his famous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." After it was published, the Calaveras County fair started the Jumping Frog Jubilee(TM), which has run since 1928.

Over the years, the frogs have jumped farther.

Why? Scientists say it's because of the frog jockeys, the men and women who catch and jump the frogs.

Listen to this extraordinary story of a man and a frog.

Josiah Bildner

Rosie the Ribeter: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calavaras County

“A worthwhile addition to Pattison’s Another Extraordinary Animal series.” Booklist

 

Can humans save a species from extinction? Yes! With patience, persistence, and a full dose of hope.

This is the heartbreaking tale of a Galápagos giant tortoise species that was almost extinct, the herculean task of conservation work by scientists and volunteers, and a heartwarming tale of hope for our planet.

In 1959, Ecuador established a national park to protect the Galápagos Islands. When they did a census, scientists found only 14 individual Española Island tortoises. The species was almost extinct.

Then, they found one more Española tortoise—in the San Diego Zoo!

They named him Diego and brought him back to the Galápagos for a breeding program.

Ecuador established one of the most successful breeding programs in scientific history. For sixty years, scientists and hundreds of volunteers have fought valiantly to save this amazing giant tortoise species. Would it be enough? Would they be able to save the species? Read the amazing story of Diego, the giant Galápagos tortoise.

This is the fifth book in a picture book series, Another Extraordinary Animal, which includes a bird, mammal, spider, amphibian, and reptile. Back matter for this book contains information about Diego, his species, the Galápagos Islands, and more.

Josiah John Bildner

Diego, the Galápagos Giant Tortoise: Saving a Species From Extinction

“A sweet and vivid historical tale.” Kirkus Reviews

 

In the late 1800s, a worldwide conservation movement started to gain momentum. One question people asked was this: How can we save the wild animals? 

A mysterious fish, in a remote waterway, swam into history and helped answer this question. Meet Pelorus Jack, the New Zealand dolphin who won the hearts of travelers and inspired a nation to protect him with legislation in 1904.

Pelorus Jack lived near French Pass, a notorious waterway in the South Island of New Zealand. With gorgeous, lifelike illustrations, this story transports readers to New Zealand’s rugged shores where Pelorus Jack befriends sailors and locals in his role as guardian of the steam ships.

As his fame grew, though, so did the danger from collectors, hunters, and adventurers. How could people protect this amazing dolphin?

ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY ANIMAL SERIES, Book 6

 

Bird. Mammal. Marine Mammal. Spider. Amphibian. Reptile.

This series includes the story of the oldest bird in the world, a spider in space, an orphaned puma cub, a bullfrog with a world-record leap, the poignant story of saving a species from extinction, and the dolphin who inspired a government to protect him.

 

The series is much more than just an introduction to the animal kingdom. It chronicles the story of how humans interact with animals in various ways: how we enjoy, challenge, admire, endanger, and save them. It's a fabulous series for kids to learn about the amazing complexity of animals.