I Am Bat

September 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-A cherry-loving bat, who doesn't like to share, looks at and talks directly to readers-first singing the praises of cherries and then warning children that the cherries "ARE MINE. Do NOT take my cherries. If you take my cherries I will be ANGRY. I will be FEROCIOUS like a lion. (But smaller and with wings.)" The next full-page spread shows a lion's paw reaching down from the top of the page for some cherries. The bat returns and is disheartened to discover the theft and proceeds to accuse readers-"Was it YOU?" The text switches to shouty, bold all caps when emphasizing its message-an effective touch. While Bat is busy fussing over the missing cherries, kids will giggle to see a frog's arm, a duck's head, and some ants appear from the top of the page to take the remaining cherries from under the bat's nose. With Bat's beloved cherries gone, it declares "I will NEVER be happy again" as the four thieves peer down at and overhear bat from the top of the page. The next page turn shows the four friends dropping a pear down to clueless Bat who is delighted with this new fruit. The story presumably starts all over again with Bat declaring: "I like PEARS. I AM BAT. DO NOT TAKE MY PEAR." While the premise of this story is not a new one, it manages to be novel and funny. The full-color, lino print, and collage illustrations against a solid color background are graphically pleasing. The bat's emotions are shown clearly in its expressions-grumpiness, outrage, despair, and delight. VERDICT A deceptively simple story that packs a subtle message about sharing and altruism. A thoroughly engaging read that is sure to be a hit at storytime.-Megan Kilgallen, Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 15, 2017
A comical fruit bat addresses readers about its beloved cherries, not guessing they will soon disappear.From the simple, funny cover to the final, wordless page, this book is a quirky gem. The art has the appearance of simple woodblock prints. The black-winged, gray-bodied bat has thin, pointy, white teeth that issue alternately from a pencil-thin smile or a grimace and little black eyes with thin, expressive, black eyebrows. Its first words, as it hangs upside-down against an avocado green background, are: "I AM BAT. I do not like mornings." On the opposite page, against solid yellow, it smiles, its wings full of red orbs with green stems, and says, "I like CHERRIES." It goes on to describe its love of cherries, and then, with a Dracula-like sweep of wings, it warns readers that no one should take its cherries. There follow several pages of humorous, fruit-bat bravado. Although there is no gender ascribed to Bat, many caregivers will feel an urge to read it in imitation of the legendary Bela Lugosi. As cherries disappear, readers see subtle evidence of which animals are taking them. Bat's proclamation of eternal unhappiness is quickly reversed by a thief-engineered fruit replacement. Old and young alike will have to giggle at the bat's show of speedy adaptability. Excellent visual storytelling aligned with eloquent brevity. (Picture book. 4-7)

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