Wisdom, the Midway Albatross - by Darcy Pattison

About the Book

The oldest bird in the world is Wisdom, the Midway Albatross. At the age of 70+, she survived the Japanese tsunami and many other dangers of living wild. Read this story of survival and hope amidst the difficulties of life.

Book Synopsis

Starred Review in Publisher's Weekly: "Pattison write crisply and evocatively."

The Oldest Bird in the World Survives the Japanese Tsunami

The oldest bird in the world, documented with banding, is Wisdom, the Midway Albatross. She was on Midway when the Japanese Tsunami hit and this is her amazing story of survival of manmade and natural disasters for over 60 years. She has survived the dangers of living wild, plastic pollution, longline fishing, lead poisoning, and the Japanese earthquake. At 65, she's still laying eggs and hatching chicks. See her Facebook page at facebook.com/wisdomthealbatross

Wildlife artist Kitty Harvill used photos as a reference for her luminous watercolors. Her ability to depict a specific individual, not just a generic image of a species, makes this a unique portrait and a biography in text and art. Pattison's story, vetted by scientists in the field, explains the difficulties of surviving in the wild for a Laysan albatross. It's incredible that the bird banding program happened to band this unique bird early in her life and can still follow her story today.

Read this children's nonfiction picture book, story of survival and hope amidst the difficulties of life.

CHILDREN'S ANIMAL BOOK SERIES

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

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, the dolphin who inspired a government to protect him, and a humble snail who teaches us to observe.

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 and extraordinary complexity of animals.

• • 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, NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
  • Nefertiti, the Spidernaut: The Jumping Spider Who Learned to Hunt in Space, NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
  • Rosie the Ribeter: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
  • Diego, the Giant Galapagos Tortoise: Saving a Species from Extinction, Starred Kirkus Review
  • Pelorus Jack, the New Zealand Dolphin: Inspiring a Government to Protect an Individual Animal
  • Jeremy, the English Garden Snail: Heredity, Science, and #snaillove,

Review Quotes

Publisher's weekly Starred Review: "Pattison writes crisply and evocatively."

"It's marvelous! I LOVE it! And I got a lump in my throat, tears! And I'm a biologist! Your book is beautiful, meaningful, simple, elegant.........thank you for caring, thank you for sharing this story!" Kim Rivera, National Seabird Coordinator, NOAA Fisheries, Deputy ARA, Protected Resources Division, Alaska Region

"Wisdom's story makes my heart soar." Kirby Larson, author of Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival and Winner of the Newbery Honor for Hattie Big Sky.

"On December 10, 1956, early in my first visit to Midway, I banded 99 incubating Laysan Albatrosses in the 'downtown' area of Sand Island, Midway. Wisdom (band number 587-51945) is still alive, healthy, and incubating again in December 2011. While I have grown old and gray and get around only with the use of a cane, Wisdom still looks and acts just the same as on the day I banded her. . . remarkable true story. . . beautifully illustrated in color." Chandler S. Robbins, Sc.D, Senior Scientist (Retired), USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.

"As both a seabird conservationist and a mom to young kids, I highly recommend Wisdom, the Midway Albatross. Wisdom's true story of survival is exciting and artist Kitty Harvill brings her to life in illustrations that are beautiful and accurate. Having worked to protect these magnificent creatures, I find it wonderful to be able to share their story through this book!" Jessica Hardesty Norris, Ph.D., Seabird Program Director, American Bird Conservancy

"As it stands, Pattison has uncovered one heckuva story. I can say with certainty that no child has ever walked up to my library's children's reference desk asking for nonfiction albatross books for pleasure reading, but for those kids assigned animal bios (it happens), easy nonfiction reads, or just books on birds in general, I now know exactly what it is I'm going to want to hand them. A keeper, you bet." Elizabeth Byrd, A Fuse#8 Blog, School Library Journal