Skip to main content

A Boy Called Bat

Image
By


A Boy Called Bat 
By Elana K. Arnold
Pictures by Charles Santoso
Walden Pond Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2017. 198 p.

Bixby Alexander Tam is called Bat (for his initials and due to the fact that he really, really likes animals). One day Batā€™s mom (a veterinarian) brings home a baby skunk kit that she needs to take care of until it can be taken to a wild-animal shelter. Bat is smitten and he knows that he has a lot to do in order to prove to his mom that they should keep the kit forever. Even though Bat is the star of the show in this beautifully written story, there are a few other details that make this book memorable. First of all, Bat is somewhere on the autism spectrum. He wears earmuffs to keep loud noises out, he sometimes sucks the front of his shirt if he is upset or thinking, he processes everything very literally, etc. The thing that I love about this is that Bat is Bat and how he thinks and acts is just part of who he is and is not the main focus of the story. Second, Batā€™s parents are divorced. Every-other-weekend Bat and his sister go and spend time with their dad. Again, this isnā€™t the main part of the story. It is just a normal part of Batā€™s life. I love that these major bits are the background of the story and that Bat and his coming to love Thor (the name of the skunk kit since it was found on Thursday) is the storyā€”the other parts are treated just as normal bits of life. This is a good book, and for those readers who like audio books, it is a good audio as well.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

By
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
Post a Comment
Read more

If You Like...Ladybugs

By
Spring is almost upon us! We'll have more rain instead of snow, flowers will start blooming, and more bugs will be out. Ladybugs are some of the prettiest insects--and the least intimidating for those more wary of bugs. If you like ladybugs, check out these books! Ladybugs Do Not Go to Preschool Written by Ali Rutstein Illustrated by NinĢ‹a Nill Richmond, VA: Bright Light, 2024. Picture Book. Ravi loves ladybugs--he eats aphids instead of cornflakes for breakfast, brushes his mandibles instead of teeth, and has a ladybug costume complete with wings and antennae. He is certain that ladybugs don't have to go to preschool, and when Mom says that Ravi still has to go to school, he is nervous. However, thanks to Mom's patience and gentle encouragement, Ravi makes some new friends and realizes that preschool might be a good place for ladybugs after all. A Perfect Spot By Isabelle Simler Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book. A ladybug is ready to ...
Post a Comment
Read more

You Need to Read: Percy Jackson

By
I was a kid myself when  The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan was published, and it didn't take long for the Percy Jackson series to take the world by storm. Being the son of a Poseidon, Percy Jackson has some unique challenges as a half-blood. Here's some books that I think could've helped Percy when he was on his adventures trying to save the world: Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians Written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes Illustrated by Javier Espila Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 2024. Informational. 191 pages. Percy, I know Chiron did a good job teaching you about mythology in Latin class, but this book is sure to be good to have on hand while you're traveling across the United States. Greeking Out  is written in a kid-friendly voice with vivid illustrations and a sometimes-snarky tone (much like Percy himself). It also presents real-life creatures and places along with the information about Greek mythology. The Homework Squad's ADHD Guide to School S...
Post a Comment
Read more