New Blog: Pattison Pages

Changing to bring you more information when you need it.

Darcy Pattison here. I started this blog as Science Writing for Kids so I could share about one of my passions, helping kids learn to write better. Three months in, though, I realize that I need to broaden the blog to allow me to share lots of other things. Meet Pattison Pages, a blog about my work in children’s literature.

Don’t worry: I’ll still provide the Scientist of the Month series on the 15th of each month. But I’ll also share lots more! (Still, if you’re not interested, this is the time to unsubscribe—see the link at the bottom.)

Eureka! Nonfiction Honor Book - Six Times

In exciting news this month, my book, NOT EXTINCT: The Przewalski’s Horse Returns from Extinct in the Wild has just been named a 2025 Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book by the California Reading Association.

Click for more information.

This is the sixth time my books have received this honor!

Click to see all six books.

Conversation with Darcy Pattison about NOT EXTINCT

Q: What inspired this book?

During the 2024-2025 school year, we hosted a high-school exchange student from Czechia. In September, 2025, we visited Tomas in Prague to reconnect and meet his family. Before we went, I learned about the Przewalski’s (p-zhe-VAL-ski) Horses (also known as the P-horse), and the Prague Zoo’s project to return them to the “golden steppes” of Kazakhstan.

I made an appointment to talk with Prague Zoo and visit the horses. On a cold, rainy day, we met the four P-horses at the zoo and talked with the zoo officials. For many years, the species has been a passion for Miroslav Bobek, the Director of Prague Zoo. When they offered to provide contemporary and historical photos for the project, I knew it would work.

Darcy Pattison at Prague Zoo, where she saw the Przewalski’s horses, talked with scientists, and walked around in awe of the amazing zoo.

I also had the opportunity to email questions to Barbora Dobiášová, the scientist in charge of the European stud book for the P-horse, the expert on the species.

When I returned home, I had a speaking engagement near Denver, so I also made an appointment at the Denver Zoo to speak with Amanda Faliano, the U.S. scientist in charge of the U.S. studbook, and Renee Pfalzer, Asst. Curator of Hoofstock, who cares for the Denver Zoo herd daily.

Renee was kind enough to take us behind the scenes to meet the horses at the Denver Zoo. She answered questions and provided a valuable resource for the book.

Darcy Pattison behind the scenes at Denver Zoo, where she got to feed a Przewalski’s hors.

The scientists provided much needed context for the conservation efforts for the species. After being declared Extinct in the Wild, only zoo populations survived. After 50+ years of hard work, there are now over 3000 horses across the world.

Q: Onsite research is amazing! What other research did you do?

Fortunately, there’s a huge database of research studies about this endangered species. Searching scientific journals, I found a rich set of reports to comb through for timelines, interesting events, and other facts that would appeal to kids.

Q: What do you want kids to take away from this story?

I write stories of hope. Yes, we have many environmental problems, but we also have scientists dedicating their lives to solving specific problems. Miroslav Bobek, Director of Prague Zoo, has made a difference as he concentrated efforts to save the P-horses.

Miroslav Bobek, Director, Prague Zoo was in Kazakhstan when they released the horses in their new habitat on the “golden steppes.”

Likewise, kids can make a difference. It’s not easy. It might take a lifetime to save a species, as it has with the P-horses. But it can be done. Science as a career and passion can make real-life changes on Earth.

That’s all from me today! I’d love to know if this type of blog post is what you’d like to see. Or would you rather a different type of information? What would YOU like to read here?

Thanks,

Darcy