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

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.

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 4
• Diego, the Galápagos Giant Tortoise: Saving a Species from Extinction, Book 5