Module 1: Bats at the Library

"Bats at the Library" by Brian Lies

Book Summary:

One evening, a group of bats are positively bored until they find out that a window was left open at the library. Knowing how fun libraries are, these bats decide to spend their whole night there. They read, play games, make copies of themselves on the photocopier, and play in the water fountain. However, the highlight of the night is when everyone gathers for storytime and experience together what it is like to get pulled into a really good story.

APA Reference:

Lies, B. (2008). Bats at the Library. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

 

Impressions:

I absolutely loved this story! As a lover of libraries, it makes total sense to me why bats would love them, too! Seeing them become the characters in the stories they are reading was hilarious. I could not stop looking at bat versions of Alice in Wonderland, Pippi Longstocking, Make Way for Ducklings, and Little Red Riding Hood. This is a fun reminder to kids and adults how exciting and fun a trip to the library can be.

Professional Review: 

An open library window is an invitation for a colony of bats in this sequel to Bats at the Beach (2006). Once inside, older bats look for favorite books, while younger ones explore and play. Storytime settles everyone down and transports them into the tales, filled with bat characters playing new roles. The bat homage to classic children’s books includes titles like Goodnight Sun, while images such as Little Red Riding Bat will amuse children who are familiar with the originals. The rhymed narrative serves primarily as the vehicle for the appealing acrylic illustrations that teem with bats so charming they will even win over chiroptophobes.

—Linda Perkins

Perkins, L. (2008). Bats at the Library. Booklist, 105(4), 46. Accessed through the UNT Library Database.

Library Uses:

One activity that could be done is a bat scavenger hunt. You could hide little paper bats all over the library. Then you could create clues guiding the children to where to all the bats are. This activity would be a fun activity to show children the different places in the library that they don’t normally get to see.