Bats: Mysterious Flyers of the Night (A Carolrhoda Nature Watch Book) (Hardcover)

by Dee Stuart (Author) "As dusk falls over the rolling Texas hill country, white-tailed deer frisk among green mountain cedar, mesquite, and scrub pine..." (more)
Key Phrases: Bracken Cave

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5-Though no shortage of books on the subject exists, this is an excellent introduction to the intriguing world of bats. Readers learn that these are the only mammals that can fly; that they are shy and gentle; and that there is an amazing variety of species. Clear text informs in a lively style that they are valuable critters, too: they eat insect pests, spread seeds (aiding reforestation), pollinate flowers for food trees, and provide fertilizer. The endangered status of some species and the role of ignorance and superstition in their extermination by humans are also explored. Children will come away with an image of affectionate creatures who exhibit individual personalities, but are warned that they should not be kept for pets. The real scoop on vampire bats is given, including a riveting photo of one lapping (not sucking) blood from a chicken's claw. Overall, the full-color photos are of good quality and are intriguingly framed, although not all are captioned. In some of the captions, the type of bat is identified but what it is doing is not explained. Similar information is offered in Sylvia Johnson's Bats (Lerner, 1985); for libraries that need another title about these misunderstood mammals, this is a great addition.
Valerie Lennox, Jacksonville Public Library, FL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Kirkus Reviews
There are nearly 1000 species of bats worldwide, with unique adaptations, unusual diets, and enormous variations in behavior. Bat lovers will enjoy the dramatic full color photos from around the world by ``Batman'' Dr. Merlin Tuttle in this title from the Nature Watch series. The photos would have been more useful, however, if the captions had indicated geographic location and scale. For example, we are told the megabat pictured has a wing span of six feet and weighs 3-4 pounds, while the microbat photographed is smaller than a jellybean and weighs less than a penny; yet the bats appear the same size in the photos. Stuart attempts a world overview of bats in 48 pages, describing adaptations of the senses, bat food, migration, hibernation, birth and raising of young, and their threatened status. He would have done better to concentrate on fewer species in greater detail. Elsewhere the language is imprecise and the glossary is unhelpful, ``...the female bat stores the fertile male sperm in her uterus.'' The glossary defines ``uterus'' as ``a hollow organ in a female mammal's body.'' Still, the photos are appealing and the odd facts intriguing. Glossary and index. (Nonfiction. 10-12) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Carolrhoda Books (June 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0876148143
• ISBN-13: 978-0876148143
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,172,046 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)