Catastrophe by the Sea

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.“For several years, the Seattle Aquarium has studied the role of empathy in promoting conservation. Empathy is the ability to perceive, understand and care about the experiences or perspectives of another person or animal. We most often feel empathy for other people, but we can also feel empathy for animals. This led us to the idea of a children’s book. Animals are regular protagonists in children’s books, but these characters are primarily vertebrates and often charismatic mammals. Could we create a book that would allow kids and their caregivers to empathize with strange and exotic marine animals, like sea anemones or barnacles? We hope this book strikes a chord with audiences and fosters empathy for animals less like us.” --Jim Wharton, director of conservation engagement and learning at the Seattle Aquarium

"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.”, "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.", “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.”, “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!”, “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!"

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.