Book Review: Bats (OT)

Bats, by Celia Bland (Innisbrook [now, Book Outlet], 1997, 29pp PB, $5.95) Review by Skye Anderson. 

This is an old book that you might not be able to find anymore but I put it here anyway as a representative of science books for kids - on animals, the weather, physics like volcanoes and such, and other topics kids like (even grown-up kids).

The best publisher in this area of science books for kids currently is DK, a British publishing company that puts out highly illustrated books for adults and children in 63 languages. Part of the American publisher Penguin Random House, any DK book is well worth it!

The Eyes on Nature series has many titles that sound interesting and want a place on my reference shelf.

Bats is unusual, however, in that the photos take some scrutiny. After all, bats are not often seen, being nocturnal, and seem 'put together' differently from other animals and birds, even though they are - surprise! -  mammals! Perhaps that is why there are so few stuffed bats for kids to snuggle up and sleep with, like there are myriads of stuffed dogs and teddy bears.

Each two-page spread

covers a different topic like fruit bats,  little ones, big ones, bat caves, bat roosts, and baby bats. This illustrates every fact on the pages and makes it easy to put the book down to go to dinner and pick up where you left off later and remember the illustrated facts.