Learn about a year in the life of a little brown bat named Otis.
This gorgeous and lyrical picture book follows a year in the life of a little brown bat named Otis as he learns to be a hunter, escape predators, and find a mate. Stunning, realistic illustrations celebrate the beauty of these mysterious creatures as readers learn important facts through an engaging and fascinating story. The book also includes back matter with more in-depth information, a glossary, and further resources.
"Pringle weaves information about the lives of these misunderstood mammals into his imagined-from-facts tale...this veteran science writer mostly avoids anthropomorphization, describing actions with lively language that's fun to read aloud... The conclusion of this simple story demonstrates the importance of these bats to our lives...Appropriate vocabulary introduces relevant concepts. Garchinsky's darkly atmospheric illustrations...will show well at storytime. A(n) effective appreciation." - Kirkus Reviews
★ "Pringle reveals with captivating detail this amazing creature's growth...This book is a delightful work of narrative nonfiction that communicates facts and terminology...alongside beautiful artwork. (T)he illustrations are an enchanting addition to the text...(and) Garchinsky expertly captures various scenes of bat life. (W)ritten in an accessible way for younger readers, Pringle also includes a solid amount of information in the back matter...and a call to action about the white nose disease that is threatening brown bat populations. An excellent choice for elementary nonfiction collections." - School Library Journal, starred review
★ "(A) lively, engaging account of one animal's life...(t)he impressionistic illustrations use soft strokes of color to portray the bat and his world. A beautiful, informative picture book about this common North American bat." - Booklist, starred review
Laurence Pringle has written more than one hundred books for children and teenagers, including the Strange and Wonderful series and the Secret Life series, among other award-winning science titles. Internationally, his books have sold more than three million copies.
Kate Garchinsky was born and raised just upstream of John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum and received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, with a focus on nature and children's literature. Visit penguinart.com.
Target Age: 6-9
Astra Young Readers
Pub Date: September 11, 2018
0.4" H x 9.1" L x 9.2" W
32 pages
hardcover