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Stellaluna
Stellaluna has been charming picture-book readers for years with its moving tale of a lost little bat who learns a big lesson about friendship. This bestseller has now been adapted as a board book, the perfect format to introduce younger readers to Janell Cannon's enchanting tale and gorgeous art. Reading Level: Age 3 and Up
42 pages, Board Book
First published April 30, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,978 reviews
January 23, 2026
"One night, as Mother Bat followed the heavy scent of ripe fruit, an owl spied her. On silent wings the powerful bird swooped down upon the bats."After a nearly deadly encounter, Mother Bat (with little Stellaluna clinging to her body) tries to escape and protect her baby but the owl attacked again and knocks Stellaluna off of her mother.
Poor Stellaluna falls into the sky and quite luckily lands in a forest, grasping a twig by her feet.
but her mother is no where near. Eventually Stellaluna lands in a bird nest and meets Flap, Flitter and Pip.
"Mother," Stellaluna squeaked. "Where are you?"
The three birds take an instant liking to Stellaluna, and after a bit even the mama bird opens up to Stellaluna. Though, she is not a fan of Stellaluna's more peculiar quirks rubbing off on her chicks... like hanging from their feet.
Eventually Stellaluna settles in with her new family, but a part of her heart always longs for her own mother. Will she ever find Mother Bat again? And what would happen to her new family if she does?
"Eeeek!" she cried. "Get back up here this instant! You're going to fall and break your necks!"
Oh my gosh. This one hits so much harder now that I have a baby of my own.
“How can we be so different and feel so much alike?”
I did not expect to get choked up at the owl separating Mother Bat and Stellaluna, nor again while Stellaluna cried out for her mother when she was lost in the woods.
The found family was a wonderful example opening your heart to a child in need but I am giving the Mama bird a side-eye when she gave it to Stellaluna for acting like a bat.
The illustrations were wonderfully done - the realism of the animals was balanced well with giving them personalities and expressions upon their faces. The color palette was soft and beautiful.
Overall, I think this book was lovely - I liked it as a child but loved it as an adult.
July 9, 2019
Stellaluna is a children's book about a young bat who learn the ways of the birds in life, how they eat and sleep etc.
Actually, this one is the story of our lives. As a child we are protected by our family, especially our mothers by owls (danger) in life. As we grow older we learn things and go our ways, specifically schools. In schools, teachers teachs us the right ways, and various aspects in life that can equip us in order to survive life. As days passes by, we finished our education and learn to spread our wings and fly. We visits places, find ourselves and fits in. And as we go places we meet people and accustom ourselves to the rights ways we should be doing a long time ago. As we learn the right ways, we tell our families and friends that this should be this and that should be that. Eventually, they imitate us thinking its the right for them, but in the contrary it's not.
Life is not always the same. What's good for Johnny might not be good for Peter and vice versa. We learn things the way it should be learn but we apply ways in order for us to live the life that we can enjoy.
In the end, we may be different in each other but we all have the chance to fly.
Actually, this one is the story of our lives. As a child we are protected by our family, especially our mothers by owls (danger) in life. As we grow older we learn things and go our ways, specifically schools. In schools, teachers teachs us the right ways, and various aspects in life that can equip us in order to survive life. As days passes by, we finished our education and learn to spread our wings and fly. We visits places, find ourselves and fits in. And as we go places we meet people and accustom ourselves to the rights ways we should be doing a long time ago. As we learn the right ways, we tell our families and friends that this should be this and that should be that. Eventually, they imitate us thinking its the right for them, but in the contrary it's not.
Life is not always the same. What's good for Johnny might not be good for Peter and vice versa. We learn things the way it should be learn but we apply ways in order for us to live the life that we can enjoy.
In the end, we may be different in each other but we all have the chance to fly.
April 10, 2014
I first saw this book on an episode of “Reading Rainbow” (my favorite TV series when I was little!) and I instantly fell in love with this book! “Stellaluna” is a gorgeous picture book by Janell Cannon and it is about how a baby bat named Stellaluna learns how to live with the birds after she is separated by her mother during an owl attack. “Stellaluna” is truly one of the best books for bat lovers everywhere!
Once there lived a mother fruit bat that gave birth to a baby bat named Stellaluna and one night, Mother Bat was carrying Stellaluna while searching for some ripe fruit to eat. Suddenly, an owl spots the bats and tries to catch them and Stellaluna ended up falling out of her mother’s pouch and ended up falling on a tree branch and then eventually falls into a bird’s nest. For awhile, Stellaluna had been living with the birds and learning their ways and started acting like a true bird, even learning how to fly!
Excellent! This book is simply truly excellent! Janell Cannon has certainly done an excellent job at both illustrating and writing this book. Janell Cannon makes the story extremely exciting and heartwarming as it details the adventures that Stellaluna embarks on after she is separated from her mother and lives with the birds. I loved the way that Stellaluna maintains a strong relationship with the birds even though she is a bat, which proves that no matter how different you are, you are still a special person on the inside. I also thought that it was really cute to see Stellaluna acting like a bird as she provides so much humor for the book by trying to act like a bird in a bat body. Janell Cannon also did a great job at providing tension in this book, especially when Stellaluna is separated from her mother and many children will definitely feel afraid for Stellaluna as the idea of losing one’s parent is frightening to a child. Janell Cannon’s illustrations are simply gorgeous and realistic, especially of the images of Stellaluna herself as she has huge brown eyes and has golden fur all over her body which makes her look beautiful and cute at the same time! I also loved the images of Stellaluna flying through the sky as she is the one character who stands out during the night sky as she seems to glow in the blue night sky while she is flying in the air.
All in all, “Stellaluna” is an instant treat of a baby bat’s amazing tale that you just cannot resist to read to your children! For anyone who love reading books about bats and the importance of a true family, this is definitely a book that I would highly recommend to children ages four and up.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
November 4, 2021
Read for my toddler’s nap time. A baby bat and its mommy was traveling when they got attacked and the baby bat got separated from her mom. She fell from above and couldn’t fly to save herself. She fell into a nest and there were other baby birds there. The baby bat was a baby who couldn’t survive on its own so it decided to become one of the birds and accepted bugs for foods even though it preferred fruits, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. A cute story.
Read from kindle unlimited.
Read from kindle unlimited.
February 6, 2016
I read this book so often when I was younger! It is so cute!
June 19, 2016
I bought some children's books and was about to gift them but decided to read them first before giving them away. This particular book I used to read to my daughter when she was little. Not surprising that I don't remember what the plot was about, as many times as I probably read this to her.
It is such a cute book about a bat who becomes separated from her mom and is raised by a bird family. She must adapt to the bird ways or abandon the nest so that Mama Bird's babies don't pick up Stellaluna's bad habits of sleeping upside down, flying at night, or making faces whenever she has to eat a bug Mama Bird brings back to feed her.
The illustrations alone merit five stars. Just beautiful artwork.
It is such a cute book about a bat who becomes separated from her mom and is raised by a bird family. She must adapt to the bird ways or abandon the nest so that Mama Bird's babies don't pick up Stellaluna's bad habits of sleeping upside down, flying at night, or making faces whenever she has to eat a bug Mama Bird brings back to feed her.
The illustrations alone merit five stars. Just beautiful artwork.
December 1, 2017
I love bats! I miss my bat box. So I enjoy this little story of a bat finding her way. My niece enjoyed this. I enjoyed it too.
The art shows just the right emotions. Could bats be any cutier?
The art shows just the right emotions. Could bats be any cutier?
April 29, 2022
Stellaluna is the story of a baby bat who becomes separated from her mother following an owl attack and is taken in by a family of birds. Actually, she falls into their nest - headfirst. This beautifully illustrated book is heartwarming and funny as little bat struggles to adapt to her newly found family and learns how to be a bird. The story is complete with a happy ending as Stellaluna finds her mother and once again "becomes" a bat. She never forgets her bird family, nor they her, as they celebrate their friendship, their families and the differences that make us special.
August 11, 2025
This is a sweet story about a newborn little fruit bat who is clinging to her mother as she flys at night to feed on the fruit trees.
She whispers to the little baby, " I will call you Stellaluna".
Suddenly, an owl silently glides into the mother bat, knocking the baby from its grasp of mother.
The baby is too tiny to fly yet. It tumbles downward and manages to grip some branches. The baby squeeks mother, mother, where are you!
Baby Stellaluna is so weak, she loses her grip and falls into a nest where three little birds Flap, Flitter, and Pip are startled.
Stellaluna was frightened and crawled under the nest and hung there.
She listened to the little birds and how Mother Bird came many times to feed them. Finally, she was so hungry she climbed into the nest, and plop! Mother bird put a big green grasshopper into Stellalunas open mouth.
She ate the awful tasting bug. Stellaluna began to forget her bat ways. She slept at night and was awake during the day.
One day mother bird saw her babies and the little bat hanging upside down under the nest.
Eeek! cried momma bird. Everyone get into the nest.
She told the little bat if you want to live here, you must obey the rules now.
So Stellaluna grew to learn to be a bird. When they learned to fly Stellaluna could fly beautifully but she could not sit upon a branch like the others.
One day Stellaluna flew and flew all day so she would not be clumsy she was so tired she hung from her thumbs from a branch so she would still be right side up as mother bird ordered.
Night fell and some young fruit bats came and asked her. Why are you hanging there wrong side up?
Stellaluna told them her story, and a larger bat pushed through and said Wait, wait, an Owl attacked? She sniffed the fur of Stellaluna. She whispered, "You are my baby! My Stellaluna!
Mother bat wrapped her wings lovingly around her Stellaluna and said, "Follow me. I will show you the most delicious fruit. You will never have to eat another bug.
But it's night said Stellaluna, I will crash into a tree! We are bats said Mother. You can see in the darkness.
Stellaluna was afraid, but she let go and flew. She could see in the darkness as though rays of light shone from her little eyes.
That night, Stellaluna ate delicious mango fruit.
The next day Stellaluna visited the birds. She Said come and meet my mother and bat family.
As Flitter, Flap and Pip flew among the sleeping bats, it grew dark. Stellaluna said we will all fly now and eat delicious fruit.
Flitter, Flap, and Pip tried to follow but screamed, we can't see! We will crash!
Stellaluna swooped and grabbed Flitter and Flap. Flap grabbed Pips leg.
Stellaluna brought them to a safe branch.
We are safe said Stellaluna. They sat in silence for a while.
Stellaluna said I wish you could see in the darkness.
Flitter, Flap, and Pip said we wish you could sit upright on a branch.
How can we feel so alike and be so different?
It's a mystery Flap chirped.
"I agree said Stellaluna, but we are friends and that is a fact."
This lovely story won the American Booksellers Book of the Year award for 1994.
The illustrations are brilliant.
Five Stars
She whispers to the little baby, " I will call you Stellaluna".
Suddenly, an owl silently glides into the mother bat, knocking the baby from its grasp of mother.
The baby is too tiny to fly yet. It tumbles downward and manages to grip some branches. The baby squeeks mother, mother, where are you!
Baby Stellaluna is so weak, she loses her grip and falls into a nest where three little birds Flap, Flitter, and Pip are startled.
Stellaluna was frightened and crawled under the nest and hung there.
She listened to the little birds and how Mother Bird came many times to feed them. Finally, she was so hungry she climbed into the nest, and plop! Mother bird put a big green grasshopper into Stellalunas open mouth.
She ate the awful tasting bug. Stellaluna began to forget her bat ways. She slept at night and was awake during the day.
One day mother bird saw her babies and the little bat hanging upside down under the nest.
Eeek! cried momma bird. Everyone get into the nest.
She told the little bat if you want to live here, you must obey the rules now.
So Stellaluna grew to learn to be a bird. When they learned to fly Stellaluna could fly beautifully but she could not sit upon a branch like the others.
One day Stellaluna flew and flew all day so she would not be clumsy she was so tired she hung from her thumbs from a branch so she would still be right side up as mother bird ordered.
Night fell and some young fruit bats came and asked her. Why are you hanging there wrong side up?
Stellaluna told them her story, and a larger bat pushed through and said Wait, wait, an Owl attacked? She sniffed the fur of Stellaluna. She whispered, "You are my baby! My Stellaluna!
Mother bat wrapped her wings lovingly around her Stellaluna and said, "Follow me. I will show you the most delicious fruit. You will never have to eat another bug.
But it's night said Stellaluna, I will crash into a tree! We are bats said Mother. You can see in the darkness.
Stellaluna was afraid, but she let go and flew. She could see in the darkness as though rays of light shone from her little eyes.
That night, Stellaluna ate delicious mango fruit.
The next day Stellaluna visited the birds. She Said come and meet my mother and bat family.
As Flitter, Flap and Pip flew among the sleeping bats, it grew dark. Stellaluna said we will all fly now and eat delicious fruit.
Flitter, Flap, and Pip tried to follow but screamed, we can't see! We will crash!
Stellaluna swooped and grabbed Flitter and Flap. Flap grabbed Pips leg.
Stellaluna brought them to a safe branch.
We are safe said Stellaluna. They sat in silence for a while.
Stellaluna said I wish you could see in the darkness.
Flitter, Flap, and Pip said we wish you could sit upright on a branch.
How can we feel so alike and be so different?
It's a mystery Flap chirped.
"I agree said Stellaluna, but we are friends and that is a fact."
This lovely story won the American Booksellers Book of the Year award for 1994.
The illustrations are brilliant.
Five Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2020
I don't normally do picture books, but, my mom read this to my nephew and loved it; she suggested I read it, too, so, I did...and found it to be very heartwarming. Now, I can see why it continues to be a beloved piece of children's literature, over a decade and a half after its release.
September 18, 2013
We all loved this book. Apparently I reserved something called a "big book" so when I went to go pick it up, it wouldn't even fit in my bag. It was this big floppy paperback book that was roughly the size of my kitchen countertop. This made it very difficult to read. Trying to hold open the floppy book so that I could read and the kids could see the pictures was very difficult. But it was worth it. The bigger pictures kept my 3 yr old twins engaged while the story kept my 5 yr old interested. And the illustrations are actually quite detailed, making Stellaluna the bat look positively adorable. The big size of the book enhanced this. Somewhere around a level 2 reading book, It's the story of a bat who gets separated from her mother when young and tries to learn to ignore her nature and be a bird. A fun story about learning to fit in and being yourself, a good lesson for any kid. A friend on GR recommended this and I'm glad we read it. I hadn't heard of Cannon before, but hopefully can pick up some more of her books.
May 7, 2012
I have read this book to my children 752 times (well maybe that's an exaggeration). And I've cried 751 (that's not.)
It's that moment when the mom says, "You are MY Stellaluna." *sob* My kids weren't weepy, btw. Nope, just me.
This has to be one of my favorite books for the 6 and under crowd- amazingly beautiful pictures I was tempted to frame, a nice (but not annoying) message about acceptance and friendship, makes you laugh and cry.
Thank goodness I have kids or I would have completely missed out on this perfect children's story.
It's that moment when the mom says, "You are MY Stellaluna." *sob* My kids weren't weepy, btw. Nope, just me.
This has to be one of my favorite books for the 6 and under crowd- amazingly beautiful pictures I was tempted to frame, a nice (but not annoying) message about acceptance and friendship, makes you laugh and cry.
Thank goodness I have kids or I would have completely missed out on this perfect children's story.
March 3, 2016
I read this book to a classroom of first graders
The children loved this story! When baby bat, Stellaluna, is separated from her mother, she tries to be a bird. She does not hang upside down; she stays in the nest, she does not eat fruit; she eats grasshoppers, she does not sleep during the day; she sleeps at night. It was so fun to watch the kids be distressed by the mother bird trying to make Stellaluna into something she's not. This is a classic story for a good reason!
The children loved this story! When baby bat, Stellaluna, is separated from her mother, she tries to be a bird. She does not hang upside down; she stays in the nest, she does not eat fruit; she eats grasshoppers, she does not sleep during the day; she sleeps at night. It was so fun to watch the kids be distressed by the mother bird trying to make Stellaluna into something she's not. This is a classic story for a good reason!
September 14, 2010
How cute is this book? A bat who tries to be a bird. Lovely illustrations. I bought it immediately and forced it on every child I knew.
May 17, 2022
I've been aware of this book for ages. What took me so long to finally read it??
June 9, 2019
Flying one night with her mother, a young fruit bat named Stellaluna is separated from her parent when they are attacked by an owl. Adopted by the bird family into whose nest she falls, our noctilionine heroine must learn new ways, accepting bugs as food, and sleeping standing up, rather than hanging by her wings. When she is unexpectedly reunited with her bat mother, Stellaluna learns the true ways of her kind, which she attempts to share with her adoptive avian siblings. In the end, all must accept that while they are the same in some ways - they all fly! - they are different in others, and that is OK.
Originally published more than twenty years ago in 1993, Janell Cannon's Stellaluna has become a modern picture-book classic, exploring such themes as the loss of a parent, cross-cultural (or species) adoption, and learning to accept yourself and others. It also teaches young readers and listeners a little bit about the natural history of bats and birds, highlighting both the ways in which they are similar and those in which they are different. An afterword gives more information about bats. The artwork, done in acrylics and colored pencil, is lovely, capturing the poignancy of Stellaluna's journey, and the beauty of the world around her. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about difference and acceptance, or about the wonders of the natural world.
Originally published more than twenty years ago in 1993, Janell Cannon's Stellaluna has become a modern picture-book classic, exploring such themes as the loss of a parent, cross-cultural (or species) adoption, and learning to accept yourself and others. It also teaches young readers and listeners a little bit about the natural history of bats and birds, highlighting both the ways in which they are similar and those in which they are different. An afterword gives more information about bats. The artwork, done in acrylics and colored pencil, is lovely, capturing the poignancy of Stellaluna's journey, and the beauty of the world around her. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about difference and acceptance, or about the wonders of the natural world.
February 23, 2009
I had only ever read the first few pages prior to today, and I thought this book would be sad. It isn't, it is freaking hilarious!!! The pictures (and the premise) add a lot to the humor -- the idea of a baby fruit bat being adopted by birds is about as hilarious as the idea of Simba being adopted by Timon and Pumba in The Lion King. My favorite moment would be Stellaluna hanging by her thumbs...just the very idea. Anyway, there is a lot to work with in this book for different character voices, and the pictures are also wonderful. The text is not overly-difficult. A good "read aloud" book, though if I were to purchase it myself I would definitely want the hardcover version, as the board book's illustrations are not large enough to easily read to a group of preschoolers.
June 27, 2020
I've been wanting to read this for so long, and decided today was the day. Even though the libraries are closed, we still have Hoopla and can check out eBooks, music, and movies. I read this quickly. It met all my expectations.
I think more children than we realize feel they don't fit in. (I even know some adults who haven't found their place in the world yet!) This is a reassuring look at what it means when you are different, and how friendship transcends all those differences.
Highly recommended.
I think more children than we realize feel they don't fit in. (I even know some adults who haven't found their place in the world yet!) This is a reassuring look at what it means when you are different, and how friendship transcends all those differences.
Highly recommended.
July 14, 2014
Such a sweet little bat. I love the effort Stellaluna makes to fit in with her bird fosters, and the efforts they make to be more like her. And it has a happy ending, which is always nice in a book about critters. [That's right, kill the kids all you want, as in [book:The Gashlycrumb Tinies|47558], but don't kill the critters, or I'll get cranky]
July 10, 2014
I love this book! I think it would be great in a unit on animals and could lead to a discussion about nocturnal animals and what that means. This book reminded me of another book by Janell Cannon called Verdi that would also be good in an animal unit.
March 21, 2015
My youngest squirt's first-grade book club met to discuss Janell Cannon's Stellaluna, the story about how a bat and birds befriend each other regardless of their differences.
stellalunagroupSince the bat in question is a fruit bat, various fruits were offered for snack such as kiwi, pineapple, and grapes. Once eating was underway, I had each girl lift her plate in order to find a sentence describing either a bird, a fruit bat, or both. After reading her clue, the bookie then told me where to put her name on the Venn Diagram.
As bellies neared fullness, each book club member shared a picture she drew of a favorite character or scene and shared a discussion question with the group. Open-ended questions ensued with . . .
What makes Stellaluna brave?
Which is your favorite character from the book, and why?
What amazed me the most was how thoroughly the girls had read the book, remembering even minute details.
From here, the girls watched a video adaptation of the book entitled Stellaluna (2004), directed by William R. Kowalchuk Jr. Book Club Babes II were also given the option of creating their own bat by following "How to Draw a Bat" instructions found on Pinterest.
Miss Elise, the young lady who selected the book for discussion, sent fellow readers home with a goodie bag filled with Stellaluna activity pages, a birdhouse, and paints. My squirt wasted no time in decorating her house.
Next discussion: Miss Piper's pick of Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
stellalunagroupSince the bat in question is a fruit bat, various fruits were offered for snack such as kiwi, pineapple, and grapes. Once eating was underway, I had each girl lift her plate in order to find a sentence describing either a bird, a fruit bat, or both. After reading her clue, the bookie then told me where to put her name on the Venn Diagram.
As bellies neared fullness, each book club member shared a picture she drew of a favorite character or scene and shared a discussion question with the group. Open-ended questions ensued with . . .
What makes Stellaluna brave?
Which is your favorite character from the book, and why?
What amazed me the most was how thoroughly the girls had read the book, remembering even minute details.
From here, the girls watched a video adaptation of the book entitled Stellaluna (2004), directed by William R. Kowalchuk Jr. Book Club Babes II were also given the option of creating their own bat by following "How to Draw a Bat" instructions found on Pinterest.
Miss Elise, the young lady who selected the book for discussion, sent fellow readers home with a goodie bag filled with Stellaluna activity pages, a birdhouse, and paints. My squirt wasted no time in decorating her house.
Next discussion: Miss Piper's pick of Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
April 8, 2008
Sweet story about a young bat who loses her mother after they are attacked by an owl and is subsequently adopted by a family of birds. It delightfully demonstrates how diverse creatures can coexist. The illustrations are lovely and luminescent.
From Kirkus:
"With a warm, nicely honed narration, Cannon strikes just the right balance between accurate portrayal of the bats and the fantasy that dramatizes their characteristics. Her illustrations, in luminous acrylics and color pencils, are exquisite. The appealingly furry, wide-eyed, fawn-colored bats have both scientific precision and real character; they're displayed against intense skies or the soft browns and greens of the woodland in spare, beautifully constructed (occasionally even humorous) compositions. Delightful and informative but never didactic: a splendid debut."
From Booklist:
Cannon's delightful story is full of gentle humor, and even young children will understand the little bat's need to fit in. Cannon provides good information about bats in the story, amplifying it in two pages of notes at the end of the book. Her full-page colored-pencil-and-acrylic paintings fairly glow: Stellaluna's depiction reflects the starlight and moonlight of the bat's name, and the pictures of the creature hauling herself onto a limb, hanging by her thumbs, and "joy-flying" are truly amusing."
From Kirkus:
"With a warm, nicely honed narration, Cannon strikes just the right balance between accurate portrayal of the bats and the fantasy that dramatizes their characteristics. Her illustrations, in luminous acrylics and color pencils, are exquisite. The appealingly furry, wide-eyed, fawn-colored bats have both scientific precision and real character; they're displayed against intense skies or the soft browns and greens of the woodland in spare, beautifully constructed (occasionally even humorous) compositions. Delightful and informative but never didactic: a splendid debut."
From Booklist:
Cannon's delightful story is full of gentle humor, and even young children will understand the little bat's need to fit in. Cannon provides good information about bats in the story, amplifying it in two pages of notes at the end of the book. Her full-page colored-pencil-and-acrylic paintings fairly glow: Stellaluna's depiction reflects the starlight and moonlight of the bat's name, and the pictures of the creature hauling herself onto a limb, hanging by her thumbs, and "joy-flying" are truly amusing."
June 3, 2010
Stellaluna is a sweet story about a young fruit bat who is raised by a family of birds after becoming separated from her mother. As Stellaluna struggles to fit in with the baby birds who eat bugs instead of fruit and who sleep in a nest instead of hanging upside down, she learns an important lesson in friendship and embracing differences.
Adorable illustrations and laugh out loud moments as Stellaluna learns to fly like a bird and clumsily tries to land on a branch. I love the part where she hangs by her thumbs after the mother bird scolds her for hanging by her feet. Too cute! Also funny to see the young birds trying to hang upside down. :)
Educational notes about bats are provided at the end of the book and a lovely blurb about the author and how she spent years developing summer reading programs for children. I love this: These programs emphasize information about and involvement with animals, especially those not popularly thought of as cute and cuddly, in an effort to dispel erroneous myths. This same love and respect for all creatures inspired her to choose bats as the subject of her first children's book.
<3
Adorable illustrations and laugh out loud moments as Stellaluna learns to fly like a bird and clumsily tries to land on a branch. I love the part where she hangs by her thumbs after the mother bird scolds her for hanging by her feet. Too cute! Also funny to see the young birds trying to hang upside down. :)
Educational notes about bats are provided at the end of the book and a lovely blurb about the author and how she spent years developing summer reading programs for children. I love this: These programs emphasize information about and involvement with animals, especially those not popularly thought of as cute and cuddly, in an effort to dispel erroneous myths. This same love and respect for all creatures inspired her to choose bats as the subject of her first children's book.
<3
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March 29, 2014Stellaluna is a baby bat that is separated from her mother when they are attacked by an owl. Stellaluna finds herself in a bird’s nest, and her adventure of believing she is a bird, learning she is a bat and being reunited with her mother follows. Stellaluna attempts to unite her adopted bird family with her rediscovered bat community. The differences between them prove too difficult to surpass, yet She and her bird ‘siblings’ vow to stay friends.
This book includes themes of differences, friendship, fear, & perseverance making it appropriate for character education lessons and discussions about social skills. There are also two pages of notes on bats at the back of the book, lending this text to a science lesson or a unit on animals.
The reading level is for kindergarten to grade 2 students. The large full-color illustrations are accompanied by small sketch-like drawings that show Stellaluna’s mother searching for her throughout the story. As with many picture books, the illustrations are so elaborate non-readers can tell the story in their own words using the pictures.
This book includes themes of differences, friendship, fear, & perseverance making it appropriate for character education lessons and discussions about social skills. There are also two pages of notes on bats at the back of the book, lending this text to a science lesson or a unit on animals.
The reading level is for kindergarten to grade 2 students. The large full-color illustrations are accompanied by small sketch-like drawings that show Stellaluna’s mother searching for her throughout the story. As with many picture books, the illustrations are so elaborate non-readers can tell the story in their own words using the pictures.
October 2, 2009
Can you believe Ellen Pompeo named her daughter after a bat?!? Not just any bat either. NO! One who is separated from her mother in a traumatic attempted murder by an owl and subsequently forced to live with birds and eat BUGS?!?!
August 21, 2016
A simple story with profound ideas about family, friends, identity and environment. With beautiful illustrations, Stellaluna offers thoughts on how a life is shaped & educates on a fascinating flying mammal. A perfect bedtime story to enlighten young minds.
October 15, 2019
A simple story about a bat loosing his mother and having to live in with a family of baby birds and having to live life a little differently. It wasn’t until the end of the book when she is reunited with other bats she realised how to live like a bat and it all seems a little more simple.
January 14, 2020
A beautiful book of knowing who you are and being true to yourself instead of trying to be like those around you. Just as Stellaluna discovers, we are able to be our best when we know who we are and what we are meant to do.
August 14, 2016
Reflecting on ways in which all creatures are the same and different. Well done!
July 22, 2019
awesome it is amazing
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