Bats: Night Fliers

by Betsy Maestro

Describes the varieties, habitats, behavior, and physical characteristics of bats.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Science

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Before beginning her career in children's books, Betsy Maestro was a teacher. Her first book with Giulio Maestro was A Wise Monkey Tale published in 1975, and since then they have collaborated on more than one hundred books. Their on-going American Story series began with the highly acclaimed The Discovery of the Americas and continues to help young readers understand and appreciate our nations history.

The Maestros live with two cats and a goldfish in a converted cow barn in Old Lyme, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

For just a very little book and a quick read you can learn new things about bats ~ I love bats.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to bats. It reviews the many varieties and lifestyles, as well as their beneficial environmental impact. It dispels negative myths, and the last page provides a list of quick facts and lore, along with a reference to WU-FU, the Bat Conservation International organization in Austin, TX.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author/illustrator team and husband-and-wife Betsy and Giulio Maestro provide an overview of the world's bats in this work of picture book natural history from 1994. Opening with the argument that despite the fear and superstition with which these flying mammals have been viewed by many humans historically, bats are neither harmful or scary, the book goes on to discuss the diverse range of bat species—over 1,000 worldwide—their geographic range, anatomy and appearance, and their nocturnal habits. The difference between megabats (mostly found in the tropics) and microbats (found worldwide) is discussed, as are their hunting methods, diets, and the way they raise their young. The book closes with a list of facts about bats...

Although I have read a number of appealing picture books about bats recently, from Nicola Davies and Sarah Fox-Davies' Bat Loves the Night (about a pipistrelle bat), to Sandra Markle & Alan Marks' Little Lost Bat (about Mexican free-tailed bats), Bats: Night Fliers is the first I have picked up that covered the diversity of bats to be found around the globe. Because of this, and the range of topics it covers in an engaging way, it would make an excellent introduction to the subject for young children. It is more solidly non-fiction than the other books mentioned, although they too are informative in their way, and could both pair nicely with this one. The accompanying artwork here from Giulio Maestro, done in pencil and watercolor, adds to the appeal, beautifully capturing a diverse range of bats, from a pallid bat to a giant flying fox. Recommended to young animal lovers, particularly those who love bats, but perhaps also those who fear them, as a corrective.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many humans have an innate and often irrational fear of bats. When I was young, some of the older women I knew were terrified of a bat getting tangled up in their hair. I have seen grown men and women shiver and shriek with terror at the knowledge that a bat was nearby.
Yet, bats are one of the most environmentally sound animals and pose little risk to humans. There is the occasional report of a rabid bat, but there are other animals that are far more frequent dangerous carriers of rabies. The purpose of this book is to expose the reader to the value of bats in various ecosystems as well as display images of some of the more unusual species.
Like many other mammalian families, there is a wide range in the size of bats, from the size of a large bee to some with a wingspan of up to six feet. They are the only mammals that truly fly, and their sonar systems are extremely sensitive. Once again demonstrating that nature has generally already thought of most human inventions.
This is a science book for children that is also fun to read. It is educational and entertaining, even for adults that don’t like bats.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's literature nonfiction
Grades 1-3

I learned some intersting facts about bats while reading this book. They fly with their hands, and there are almost 1,000 different types of bats. Most stunning was the fact that a colony of bats can eat up to 6,000 TONS of insects per year! That's amazing! This is an easy to read nonfiction book to introduce students to the genre. It could be a good resource for a report on bats.

[Linda Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This non-fiction book will be a good reference book for nature or mammal sections in science. This book has a lot of interesting information written at a level that students grades 2-5 will be able to read and comprehend. It gives some cultural background to the bats' importance in other societies as well and reasons why bats are important to the circle of life.

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with information about bats. It has maps to show where bats are populated. Also has illustrations regarding different types of bats and how they are different. Many habitats are displayed as well.

[Angie Munoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives information about bats and different kinds of bats.