Catastrophe by the Sea

by Brenda Peterson (Text by), Ed Young (Illustrator)

Overview

From revered nature writer Brenda Peterson and told through striking and vibrant mixed-media collages by Caldecott Medalist Ed Young, Catastrophe by the Sea is a poignant story of redemption through empathy and compassion found in the most surprising places, and also provides a rich understanding of small creatures that live in a dangerous tidal zone.

A lost cat roams the tide pools, pawing relentlessly at the small creatures that live there. One day an anemone confronts him and asks why he is alone and befriends him. In partnership with the Seattle Aquarium, Catastrophe by the Sea delivers a powerful message of finding understanding and friendship, and at the same time educates on the varied wildlife brimming in tide pools.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781513262352
Publisher:	West Margin Press
Publication date:	10/01/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	650L (what's this?)
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Brenda Peterson is a novelist, memoirist, nature writer, children’s book author, conservationist, and educator. For the past two decades she has studied and written about animals and nature, and is the founder of Seal Sitters She lives in Seattle, Washington. Visit her at brendapetersonbooks.com.

Ed Young has been honored the Caldecott Medal for his illustrations and has published over 80 books for children. Born in Tientsin, China, he graduated from Art Center in Pasadena, California, and has taught art at several universities, including Pratt, Yale, Naropa, and UC Santa Cruz. Ed believes challenge and growth are central to his illustrations and hopes to expand awareness through them. He lives in New York. Visit him at edyoungart.com.

Brenda Peterson is a novelist, memoirist, nature writer, children’s book author, conservationist, and educator. For the past two decades she has studied and written about animals and nature, and is the founder of the conservation group Seal Sitters. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Brenda Peterson is a novelist, memoirist, nature writer, children’s book author, conservationist, and educator. For the past two decades she has studied and written about animals and nature, and is the founder of Seal Sitters She lives in Seattle, Washington. Visit her at brendapetersonbooks.com.

Ed Young has been honored the Caldecott Medal for his illustrations and has published over 80 books for children. Born in Tientsin, China, he graduated from Art Center in Pasadena, California, and has taught art at several universities, including Pratt, Yale, Naropa, and UC Santa Cruz. Ed believes challenge and growth are central to his illustrations and hopes to expand awareness through them. He lives in New York. Visit him at edyoungart.com.

Read an Excerpt

Can empathy inspire conservation and bring us closer to nature?

The marine world is a strange and wonderful place to explore. Life beneath the waves may be the strangest of all. Ocean creatures look very different and lead diverse lives. This biodiversity strengthens the system—but can make it hard for us to feel connected to these alien beings. Empathy asks us to swim a mile in their fins. This helps us see and feel what we have in common with even the strangest of ocean creatures. Feeling connected to ocean animals includes them in our circle of concern, so we care and conserve them.

What began with an idea from the team at the Seattle Aquarium to develop a tool that would help build empathy in Aquarium guests led to a fruitful collaboration and this beautiful book. Storytelling is one of the most powerful empathy-building tools; it invites us to step into the tale and experience the story alongside our characters. We hope you enjoy exploring the tide pools with Catastrophe and feel just a little closer to this captivating aquatic world."

Interviews

"The marine world is a strange and wonderful place to explore. Life beneath the waves may be the strangest of all. Ocean creatures look very different and lead diverse lives. This biodiversity strengthens the system—but can make it hard for us to feel connected to these alien beings. Empathy asks us to swim a mile in their fins. This helps us see and feel what we have in common with even the strangest of ocean creatures. Feeling connected to ocean animals includes them in our circle of concern, so we care and conserve them."

"What began with an idea from the team at the Seattle Aquarium to develop a tool that would help build empathy in Aquarium guests led to a fruitful collaboration and this beautiful book, Catastrophe by the Sea. Storytelling is one of the most powerful empathy-building tools; it invites us to step into the tale and experience the story alongside our characters. We hope you enjoy exploring the tide pools with Catastrophe and feel just a little closer to this captivating aquatic world."

Editorial Reviews

A beautifully illustrated, heart-warming story of curiosity, empathy, and friendship. It reminds us that when we keep an open mind and an open heart possibilities for friendship are infinite. And, when we get to know our friends, be it in the ocean, in the air, or on land, we understand that they have a little bit of us in them, and we have a little bit of them in us. We are one big family, each unique and essential, just the way we are!"

Elif Gokcigdem - Author and Founder of Empathy-Building Through Museum

One of the most important life skills we can reinforce in our children is empathy—being able to take another’s perspective, even if that “other” isn’t human. Catastrophe by the Sea does double duty by not only increasing our empathy for the struggles of intertidal creatures, but also our amazement at their survival superpowers. By extension, children will realize that they and all other humans have unique personal gifts to share with the world.

Ruth G. Shelly

"A cat learns to see creatures that are different than her two and four legged friends. No soft fur or skin, but tentacles and shells. The cat learns about and feels for creatures in the tide pool, she teaches children. The book leaves us with hope that the children will teach their adults."

Zorana Ivcevic

"Brenda Peterson’s words are like music. Ed Young’s exquisite art flows like water through every page. Tide pool creatures would be proud of Catastrophe by the Sea."

author Soul of an Octopus Sy Montgomery

"Peterson's lyrical text perfectly complements Young's stunning mixed-media-and-collage artwork. In one spread, the cat's shadow looms over a flailing, gigantic red octopus; in another, Catastrophe's paws reach out to the delicate, pastel tentacles of an anemone; and a band of purple barnacles rhythmically click and clack their shells despite being permanently attached to a rock. . . Appended with further discussion of tide pools and the importance of empathizing with these creatures."

Booklist

A beautifully illustrated, heart-warming story of curiosity, empathy, and friendship. It reminds us that when we keep an open mind and an open heart possibilities for friendship are infinite. And, when we get to know our friends, be it in the ocean, in the air, or on land, we understand that they have a little bit of us in them, and we have a little bit of them in us. We are one big family, each unique and essential, just the way we are!"

author and founder of Empathy-Building Through Mus Elif Gokcigdem

"If you are looking for a fun, delightful book to share with a child or grandchild, Catastrophe By the Sea is a wonderful choice. It's a story that's sweet yet compelling, it teaches empathy and compassion through simple modeling, and it accurately depicts the interconnection of life and how even our simplest choices make an instrumental difference."

Psychology Today

Many of us have, at one point or another, felt just like the sea anemone character when she shouts 'I'm just as alive as you!' This charming tale does an excellent job of helping us human-centric beings to see ourselves in the uncelebrated creatures of the sea. In considering the perspective of a barnacle or a slug, we can begin to question our attitudes towards all kinds of 'others' considered too alien to merit our concern. Hooray for oceanic empathy!

Andrea K. Jones

"Catastrophe by the Sea is a real delight. Brenda Peterson’s playful text and Ed Young’s stunning art tell the story of a lost cat befriending barnacles and other tidepool creatures. This charming new book inspires children to celebrate and care about these often-overlooked animals whose brave and vivid lives are so vital to our oceans.

author of Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do Wha Marc Bekoff

"Peterson's lyrical text perfectly complements Young's stunning mixed-media-and-collage artwork. In one spread, the cat's shadow looms over a flailing, gigantic red octopus; in another, Catastrophe's paws reach out to the delicate, pastel tentacles of an anemone; and a band of purple barnacles rhythmically click and clack their shells despite being permanently attached to a rock. . . Appended with further discussion of tide pools and the importance of empathizing with these creatures."

Booklist

Many of us have, at one point or another, felt just like the sea anemone character when she shouts 'I'm just as alive as you!' This charming tale does an excellent job of helping us human-centric beings to see ourselves in the uncelebrated creatures of the sea. In considering the perspective of a barnacle or a slug, we can begin to question our attitudes towards all kinds of "others" considered too alien to merit our concern. Hooray for oceanic empathy!

Peak Experience Lab Andrea K. Jones - Founder

09/01/2019

K-Gr 3—The marine creatures living in the tide pool along the ocean's edge are at first alarmed by the cat that has pounced his way there, a long way from home. But after a stinging confrontation between the cat and a sea anemone turns amicable, the other sea creatures extend a welcome to Catastrophe the cat as well. Catastrophe learns about the diverse lifestyles of the ocean creatures and is sad when he can't find them after a strong and violent tide nearly washes them all away. However, Catastrophe soon learns of the amazing resilience of the sea animals and develops a strong affinity and appreciation for them as individuals. Through characters such as Buddy the barnacle and Naimonee the anemone as well as a dance troupe of crabs and a band of barnacles, young readers will learn some of the characteristics that make these creatures unique. Written by acclaimed nature writer Peterson, in partnership with the Seattle Aquarium, the uniquely creative picture book tells an adventure story that builds awareness, understanding, and empathy for a world that some may overlook or take for granted. There is a wealth of information and inspiration to learn by observing the teamwork and survival skills of the smallest of living things. Young's distinctive collage artwork is phenomenal and adds texture and detail to the story that is integral to the moods of the book. VERDICT A harmonious picture book that celebrates biodiversity and builds empathy.—Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

School Library Journal

2019-06-25
A lost Siamese cat learns about life on an ocean beach and in a tide pool.

Catastrophe the cat has wandered too far from home, ending up alone on a beach. He is befriended by several sea creatures who speak kindly to him. These characters include a sea anemone named Naimonee and a barnacle named Buddy. Dancing crabs and sand dollars join Buddy and pals in a "barnacle band" as they click their shells like castanets. Catastrophe survives being sucked into the tide pool by the undertow, and he is eventually rescued by two brown-skinned children who recognize him from lost-cat posters they have seen in the area. Caldecott Medalist Young's collage illustrations are intriguing but mysterious, as it is sometimes difficult to identify characters, and the text often feels out of sync with the illustrations. Buddy the barnacle in particular is problematic, as he is a main character but is seldom shown and difficult to spot. Many of the torn-paper collage illustrations of the cat are compelling, and the variety of textures and effects achieved with the combination of different papers is fascinating when perused closely. As explained in an afterword, the fanciful story was developed in partnership with the Seattle Aquarium as an effort to increase empathy for sea life.

A well-intended, unusual, but not entirely successful story bringing sea creatures into focus. (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews