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"SEAL IN THE BATHTUB"
is a true story of a rescued baby seal and her adventures while growing up in the home of an aquarium worker and his family. 

Author: Paul L. Sieswerda
Author & Illustrator: Joy S. Reidenberg, PhD
Contributing Author: Paul J. Sieswerda (PJ)

READING LEVEL: 2 Short sentences, familiar words, and simple stories

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PREFACE: Seal in the Bathtub is a true story based on the experience of the late first author Paul Sieswerda, who wrote most of this story but died before the book was published.Paul really did rehabilitate a baby seal at his private home while he was employed at the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA. His wife, Candi, and two young sons, Paul Jr. and Jeffrey, were eager to be involved in its care. Today it is illegal to keep and care for a rescued baby seal or any other marine mammal at home. However, this story took place before there were such regulations. There were no coordinated national rescue efforts for stranded marine mammals. Beached seals and other marine animals (such as sea lions, sea otters, manatees, dolphins, whales, and sea turtles) were handled by local volunteers and organizations with limited resources and no standardized rescue protocols. There was no centralized system for documenting, reporting, or analyzing strandings and no procedure established for data collection. Today, NOAA* Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program coordinates emergency responses to sick, injured, distressed, entangled, or dead marine mammals. Research conducted under their supervision advances scientific knowledge, is used in education programs, and supports conservation efforts.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This book has been waiting patiently, sitting beside the sink of imagination, for quite some time. Out of one small act of kindness—welcoming seal into our world—many adventures have grown. This book could not have come to life without the inspiration, guidance, and love of several remarkable people, who continue to carry our story ever forward . . . toward brighter waters and generations yet to come

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Long before Paul L. Sieswerda became known for marine research, conservation, and public education, he was a man profoundly drawn to the sea itself. His journey began with seals—stranded pups brought into the New England Aquarium during the early days of marine mammal protection, long before public awareness had caught up. These animals sparked in him a sense of responsibility, compassion, and fascination that symbolized his belief that humans have a duty to care for the vulnerable creatures of the ocean. This calling to the sea guided every chapter of his life. Whether he was helping rehabilitate marine mammals, guiding young aquarists, or building public exhibits that taught millions about ocean life, he carried with him a deep respect for the water and the beings who lived in it. After retiring from a long and dedicated career as curator at both the New England Aquarium and the New York Aquarium, he continued his lifelong devotion. He founded Gotham Whale; a nonprofit grounded not just in research but in his enduring desire to share the wonder of marine life with future generations. His mission was never solely about whales. It was about connection: connection between humans and animals, between curiosity and stewardship, between a father and a son. Sieswerda hoped that by opening people’s eyes to the life just offshore—from seals to whales to the smallest creatures of the tide—he could inspire the same sense of awe and responsibility that guided him throughout his life. His legacy is not only in the science he contributed but in the moral compass he passed down: to respect the sea, to care for its creatures, and to leave the world better than we found it.

Joy S. Reidenberg, PhD, is a professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (in New York City), where she teaches medical and graduate students. She studies the comparative anatomy of animals adapted to environmental extremes, including pinnipeds(true seals, elephant seals, fur seals, sea lions, and walruses). Reidenberg has been featured in many international science and educational television documentaries, interviews, and TED talks. She is best known for her role as the comparative anatomist for Inside Nature’s Giants(a TV documentary about large animal anatomy and evolution). Reidenberg is the scientific advisor for Gotham Whale, a citizen science nonprofit that tracks whales in New York. She loves to snorkel and scuba dive and relishes those rare moments when she has seen pinnipeds in their natural habitat. The above photo was taken on the coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, where a harbor seal came to rest on the nearby seaweed while Reidenberg was being filmed for a TV documentary about ocean animals.

Paul J. Sieswerda (PJ) is the son and literary steward of Paul L. Sieswerda.
Growing up, PJ was immersed early in the wonder of underwater exploration around the globe with his dad, from the vibrant reefs of the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands to the Red Sea, Micronesia, and Belize. It all started where his dad had volunteered at the New England Aquarium. Like father, like son, PJ’s drive is to pass the same passion and curiosity from his father to his own three sons Canon, Emory, and Paul, so they, too, will carry forward the commitment to protect and celebrate our wonderful world of water!

PAUL & CANDI, 2012
Audio Recording with Paul & Candi Sieswerda their time with Cecil the "Seal in the Bathtub"
Snap Judgment: Cecil The Sealsoundcloud.com 

IN THE NEWS! February 22, 2026
Check out this clip by WBZ New Radio 1030 with Emma Friedman and our very own "Seal Team" 

About Gotham Whale 
www.GothamWhale.org
For over a decade, Gotham Whale has been dedicated to uncovering the magnificence and beauty of the whales that grace the waters of New York Harbor and beyond. Through th epower of Citizen Science, wedocument their presence, study their behaviors, and share their incredible story with the world. 

OTHER BOOKS BY Paul L. Sieswerda & Joy Reidenberg

Big Whale, Big City is the story of a humpback whale named Jerry. His journey to New York City parallels the story of more and more humpbacks returning to the area in recent years. Jerry’s adventure illustrates a whale’s life history, how they feed, threats they face, and how the area around NYC is becoming a new feeding ground for humpbacks.

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