Bats: Biggest! Littlest!

by Sandra Markle

Why is the world of bats so varied? The littlest bat is as light as a penny. The biggest bat can have a wingspan as long as a bathtub. Some bats have little flaps on their noses. Others have huge ears. The unique traits of each species help it survive in its special place in nature . . . but how? Using eye-popping photographs of strange bats from around the world, Biggest! Littlest! feeds young readers' curiosity and is certain to prompt stimulating discussions for days.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Childrens, Science, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Sandra Markle is the author of more than two hundred children's books, which have won numerous awards, including Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Books for Children, NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended, and ALA Notable Books for Children. She lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida and frequently travels to schools sharing her program "Sandra Markle's Books Are REAL Adventures."

Reviews

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to bats of all sizes with excellent photographs.

[Jaden]

Informational

Bats come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, which makes them all unique to different parts of the world! Some bats are little, some bats are big. The author Sandra adds pictures of various bats and explains their unique size and qualities that make them suitable for the area in which they live in.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

October 2019 - we read it twice, and Ben remembered a lot about bats from one time to the next. Different bat facts are introduced framed around the concept of size, and it's got lots of information but still works as a read-aloud in one sitting.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying this non-fiction animal kick Kait is on. We are all learning so much about animals.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

32 pgs. This book taught me a lot of new information about bats I did not previously know. The photos are outstanding. Kids will really enjoy this one. Highly recommended for Grades 3-5.

[Kristi Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very educational book about bats.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a signed copy of this book along with some book swag! I think bats are fascinating, and I learned all kinds of new things about them in this book. I can't wait to share it with kids - they're going to love it! From Gray-Headed Flying Fox bats, of which Markle shows a photograph including a diagram with its body parts and wingspan, to a Bumblebee Bat, you will learn about various defense mechanisms, physical adaptations, and food preferences of all kinds of bats. The photographs are awesome, and I liked the map at the back showing where the various species of bats live. There's also a good glossary and summary of the two bat groups - megabats and microbats.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Close-up photographs of the Gray-Headed Flying Fox, Bumble Bat, Great Fruit-Eating Bat, Common Vampire Bat, Spectacled Flying Fox, Fringe-Lipped Bat, Tube-Lipped Nectar Bat, and other fascinating bats are paired with informative descriptions of their characteristics, behavioral characteristics, habitats, and distribution around the world. Back matter includes additional information, a bat-inhabitation map of the world, a vocabulary guide, and a list of related books and websites. This book joins Snakes, Spiders, Insects, and Sharks as the latest book in the BIGGEST! LITTLEST! series.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book about bats has amazing photographs that will keep students turning the pages to see more. The large print and easy to read text makes this book a great choice for elementary students engaging in research about bats. This informational book also contains yellow boxed fun facts about the various bats. There is a glossary called "Bat Words You Learned" at the end of the book as well as suggestions for further reading which include books and websites. An index is not included but would be helpful.

[Ken Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

BATS was a great Nonfiction book. This book would be perfect to use for children wanting to learn about creatures of the night or just bats in general. This book is very informative in that it gives very detailed facts about each type of bat. The book also with its facts shows us some amazing pictures of each of these real life bats. The book has great facts about each species of bat what they eat, where they live and other interesting facts. The pictures are probably the most powerful thing within this book.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conversational text compares and contrasts traits of large and small bats. Accompanied by full-color photographs of a variety of bats in action. Books and websites suggested at the end. The format may frustrate report writers, but it makes for engaging interest reading.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that looks at how the size of the bat helps the bat survive. Includes a wide variety of bats (some gross looking and others adorable) and full color photographs. Sure to please any bat lover.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The layout took away from the content for me. However, said content was clear and easy to understand. I had both a first-grader and a third-grader read it this spring and report back a ton of facts, so it's definitely a hit with its audience.

[Beth Kakuma-Depew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures are amazing and the short pages of facts are just the right size. This would make a great non-fiction addition to a bat themed story time!

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Source to use, index and glossary all add to this book's strengths.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an awesome non-fiction book about bats around the world. It has information and pictures of a variety of bats—I learned more than I knew about bats! They’re actually kind of cute. :)

[Franki Sibberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new book by Sandra Markle. Love the focus and the features. Strong nonfiction writing, but not too overwhelming for middle grade readers.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kid's book, so I wish there was more information than is given,but great pictures of the bats!

[Casey Zarr]

This informational book on bats is a great read to gain knowledge of the mammal. With pictures to go along its easy for the reader to make connections between the images and text as they go along.