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The Bat-Poet
There was once a little brown bat who couldn't sleep days—he kept waking up and looking at the world. Before long he began to see things differently from the other bats who from dawn to sunset never opened their eyes. The Bat-Poet is the story of how he tried to make the other bats see the world his way.
With illustrations by Maurice Sendak, The Bat-Poet—a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book selection—is a collection of the bat's own poems and the bat's own world: the owl who almost eats him; the mockingbird whose irritable genius almost overpowers him; the chipmunk who loves his poems, and the bats who can't make heads or tails of them; the cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, and sparrows who fly in and out of Randall Jarrell's funny, lovable, truthful fable.
With illustrations by Maurice Sendak, The Bat-Poet—a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book selection—is a collection of the bat's own poems and the bat's own world: the owl who almost eats him; the mockingbird whose irritable genius almost overpowers him; the chipmunk who loves his poems, and the bats who can't make heads or tails of them; the cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, and sparrows who fly in and out of Randall Jarrell's funny, lovable, truthful fable.
43 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1964
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1169 people want to read
About the author
Randall Jarrell
110 books94 followersPoems, published in collections such as
Little Friend, Little Friend
(1945), of American poet and critic Randall Jarrell concern war, loneliness, and art.
He wrote eight books of poetry, five anthologies, a novel, Pictures from an Institution . Maurice Sendak illustrated his four books for children, and he translated Faust: Part I and The Three Sisters , which the studio of actors performed on Broadway; he also translated two other works. He received the National Book Award for poetry in 1960, served as poet laureate at the Library of Congress in 1957 and 1958, and taught for many years at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He joined as a member of the American institute of arts and letters.
He wrote eight books of poetry, five anthologies, a novel, Pictures from an Institution . Maurice Sendak illustrated his four books for children, and he translated Faust: Part I and The Three Sisters , which the studio of actors performed on Broadway; he also translated two other works. He received the National Book Award for poetry in 1960, served as poet laureate at the Library of Congress in 1957 and 1958, and taught for many years at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. He joined as a member of the American institute of arts and letters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
July 5, 2019
A small brown bat begins staying awake during the daytime, and encounters new friends who inspire him to write poetry. Though I enjoyed this as an adult, I never would have had the patience for it as a child. And, the ending, which is very sweet, is also a bit melancholic.
To add to that poignant feeling, I found this one at the library sale. The book was signed by its previous owner - a dear neighbor who died a few years ago.
To add to that poignant feeling, I found this one at the library sale. The book was signed by its previous owner - a dear neighbor who died a few years ago.
September 23, 2013
The little brown bat stays awake when the other bats sleep, and when the weather cools and they move to the barn he stays on the porch, listening to the mockingbird and wishing he could sing, too. He can't carry a tune, but he finds he can describe the world around him with words. Does that make him poet? And will anyone else want to hear his poems?
January 20, 2013
Had I been aware of this book as a child, I think I would have carried it around like a teddy bear, hugging it and nibbling on the corners. I love the matter-of-fact, believable dialogue between the creatures. There's nothing cutesy or after-school-specially about the animals. They just have these great discussions about life and art that include the kind of yummy tidbits about animal behavior that I've always geeked out to. Maurice Sendak's black and white illustrations are magical. Even the small drawings of bats in some of page corners are remarkably expressive and alive.
September 23, 2009
I had no idea this book existed until a week ago when I was ordering another copy of The Animal Family as a gift (also by Jarrell/Sendack and one of my favorite little books ever), and I saw this in the "related books" section. I ordered it immediately.
It's another beautiful little treasure. The words are sweet and simple but beautiful, and the illustrations (closer to illuminations, really) are complex and atmospheric, but again, simple at the same time.
The story is lovely, and really there are so many ways to relate to it. It actually struck me as a designer, and I saw a lot of similarities to the client/designer relationships in the way the little bat interacted with the subjects of his poetry.
Lovely little book. All you mamas must get it for your children. Or,if you're just a grownup like me, get it for yourselves.
It's another beautiful little treasure. The words are sweet and simple but beautiful, and the illustrations (closer to illuminations, really) are complex and atmospheric, but again, simple at the same time.
The story is lovely, and really there are so many ways to relate to it. It actually struck me as a designer, and I saw a lot of similarities to the client/designer relationships in the way the little bat interacted with the subjects of his poetry.
Lovely little book. All you mamas must get it for your children. Or,if you're just a grownup like me, get it for yourselves.
February 6, 2014
This is my absolute favourite book from my childhood. The Bat Poet is a beautiful Plato's-cave-like allegory about art's role in opening us up to new perspectives, if only we're willing to open our eyes.
March 31, 2022
I was disappointed. I can't imagine many young kids finding their way to poetry through this book. I was even disappointed in the art by Maurice Sendak.
September 3, 2008
Spot-on portrait of the effort of writing poetry, including even the worry of its uselessness -- or, at least, its lack of audience. The Bat-Poet's poems come in at the moment you need them to, and surprise you with which rules they follow and which they don't. Sweet!
June 2, 2019
Beautiful little book belonging to my father and read to me as a youngster. I had not seen it since I was a little thing, yet Sendak’s gorgeous finely detailed pen and ink illustrations I had never forgotten. They left an indelible impression on me.
August 30, 2019
Poet Randall Jarrell’s story of one small, extraordinary bat who sees the world differently from the other bats. Besides being a perfect vehicle for a poet to share their gift with children, The Bat-Poet also ends up being a paean to bats in general.
Our furry brown hero begins staying awake during the day (when all the other bats sleep), noticing other animals. First, the mockingbird, then the chipmunk, both of whom are the subject of poems by the bat, who was initially inspired by the singing of the mockingbird. Of course, once convinced to listen, both the mockingbird and the chipmunk like hearing the poems about themselves, as we are all prone to greedily enjoy observations of ourselves.
The poems are lovely; the story itself is written in the spare style common to poets, so every word has a place, and the book is quite short (I think it could easily be read and even savored in half an hour, even though it’s not a picture book). Maurice Sendak’s illustrations are lovely; I was particularly taken by a two-page spread of a “peaceable kingdom” sort of picture late in the book.
I may have read this when I was young, because I loved The Animal Family so much when I was a child, but I didn’t really remember it. I’m looking forward to re-reading The Animal Family, and, for that matter, Jarrell’s other two children’s books, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: A Tale From the Brothers Grimm, and The Gingerbread Rabbit, which, come to think of it, I’m sure I have read, maybe more than once, but perhaps I didn’t realize it was written by Jarrell since I was more focused on Garth Williams’s illustrations. And then also there’s a volume called Randall Jarrell’s Book of Stories, aka The Anchor Book of Stories, the description of which begins: “Storytelling as a fundamental human impulse, one that announces itself at the moment, hidden in infancy, that dreams begin—this is what the poet and critic Randall Jarrell set out to illuminate in this extraordinary book.”
Our furry brown hero begins staying awake during the day (when all the other bats sleep), noticing other animals. First, the mockingbird, then the chipmunk, both of whom are the subject of poems by the bat, who was initially inspired by the singing of the mockingbird. Of course, once convinced to listen, both the mockingbird and the chipmunk like hearing the poems about themselves, as we are all prone to greedily enjoy observations of ourselves.
The poems are lovely; the story itself is written in the spare style common to poets, so every word has a place, and the book is quite short (I think it could easily be read and even savored in half an hour, even though it’s not a picture book). Maurice Sendak’s illustrations are lovely; I was particularly taken by a two-page spread of a “peaceable kingdom” sort of picture late in the book.
I may have read this when I was young, because I loved The Animal Family so much when I was a child, but I didn’t really remember it. I’m looking forward to re-reading The Animal Family, and, for that matter, Jarrell’s other two children’s books, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: A Tale From the Brothers Grimm, and The Gingerbread Rabbit, which, come to think of it, I’m sure I have read, maybe more than once, but perhaps I didn’t realize it was written by Jarrell since I was more focused on Garth Williams’s illustrations. And then also there’s a volume called Randall Jarrell’s Book of Stories, aka The Anchor Book of Stories, the description of which begins: “Storytelling as a fundamental human impulse, one that announces itself at the moment, hidden in infancy, that dreams begin—this is what the poet and critic Randall Jarrell set out to illuminate in this extraordinary book.”
July 22, 2019
My rating: 4.5 stars
What a refreshing break from these trying political times. A sweet little bat who likes to wake up during the day (gasp!) trying to find his way in the world by writing poetry about his fellow critters - owls, chipmunks and magpies included!
Heart-warming with a hint of melancholy set against the back-drop of the changing of the seasons and finding your place in the world.
Animal lovers, this book will find its way into your heart.
What a refreshing break from these trying political times. A sweet little bat who likes to wake up during the day (gasp!) trying to find his way in the world by writing poetry about his fellow critters - owls, chipmunks and magpies included!
Heart-warming with a hint of melancholy set against the back-drop of the changing of the seasons and finding your place in the world.
Animal lovers, this book will find its way into your heart.
December 5, 2025
Let’s hear it for children’s books! I was lent this book from a friend who borrowed it from their friend and I am so glad I got to read it. It’s so easy to notice things about others, find the beauty in others, but it’s far more difficult to do the same for ourselves. It’s a book about poetry, wanting to be understood, bats (of course), and winter! The end was a fun little twist and reminded me that we all change a little as we prepare for the long winter. Im snuggled in bed with two fuzzy blankets and a humidifier going and I couldn’t have asked for a better nighttime read.
January 14, 2018
What a beautiful book. I will be returning to this more than once, both by myself and with my children.
June 22, 2020
Meh. It was a cute little children's book.
September 6, 2023
The trouble isn’t making poems, the trouble’s finding somebody to listen to them
September 29, 2025
I picked this up at Half Price as it had art by Maurice Sendak of Little Bear fame. This was a short story or long kid book about a bat who couldn't sleep so he ended up writing poetry for the animals around him when he was up during the day. Story was very cute and the pen and ink illustrations fantastic.
May 3, 2019
A little brown bat begins staying awake during the day and writing poems about the daytime world.
When the colony of bats moves from the porch to the barn in preparation for hibernation, one bat stubbornly remains behind. Because he is alone, he has no one with whom to snuggle and fall back asleep if he wakes up during the day, and he begins staying awake if he wakes up before dark. As a consequence, he experiences and learns a lot of things that the other bats don't, which creates a gulf between him and them.
Inspired by the mockingbird's songs, the bat attempts to write songs of his own, but he decides to switch to poems due to his lack of range. He works up the nerve to say his first poem to the the mockingbird who politely encourages him. The bat then befriends a chipmunk who is a more enthusiastic audience. Finally, the bat writes a poem about a baby bat and a mother bat that he feels the other bats will appreciate. Excited, he flies to the barn, but he falls asleep before he can recite it to them.
This is a gentle story about someone who looks at the world differently than his peer group and tries to share his perspective without success. The bat does make a new friend with whom he can share his experiences, but he still feels a void left by the other bat's lack of interest and never gives up hope of being able to connect with them.
The black and white, pen and ink illustrations by Maurice Sendak are what make the story memorable.
When the colony of bats moves from the porch to the barn in preparation for hibernation, one bat stubbornly remains behind. Because he is alone, he has no one with whom to snuggle and fall back asleep if he wakes up during the day, and he begins staying awake if he wakes up before dark. As a consequence, he experiences and learns a lot of things that the other bats don't, which creates a gulf between him and them.
Inspired by the mockingbird's songs, the bat attempts to write songs of his own, but he decides to switch to poems due to his lack of range. He works up the nerve to say his first poem to the the mockingbird who politely encourages him. The bat then befriends a chipmunk who is a more enthusiastic audience. Finally, the bat writes a poem about a baby bat and a mother bat that he feels the other bats will appreciate. Excited, he flies to the barn, but he falls asleep before he can recite it to them.
This is a gentle story about someone who looks at the world differently than his peer group and tries to share his perspective without success. The bat does make a new friend with whom he can share his experiences, but he still feels a void left by the other bat's lack of interest and never gives up hope of being able to connect with them.
The black and white, pen and ink illustrations by Maurice Sendak are what make the story memorable.
March 21, 2017
I was snooping at the librarian's desk in the Children's Book Room when I spied a copy of this book, The Bat~Poet, with a sticky note on it. Randall Jarrell is a fantastic poet but also the author of my favorite children's book, Animal Family. So I asked if I could check it out and reluctantly, she handed it over but noted that it was water damaged and old and I should be careful.
What a find! A sweet, lyrical book written by a poet, for poets and observers of the world (children!) all. For children, the message is appropriately about independence and the process of finding, and accepting, one's own way of looking at the world. And then sharing that back with community and family. But for writers, this book is a tidy and lovely ode to becoming a writer and the writing process. And this goes without saying with a 5-star review - the writing is excellent.
As a final endorsement, this book made me think hard about my Top Five: was it better than "Animal Family"? I finally decided, no, it wasn't, but the fact that it made me pause and reconsider the standing of one favorite books of all time speaks to it caliber.The Animal FamilyRandall Jarrell
What a find! A sweet, lyrical book written by a poet, for poets and observers of the world (children!) all. For children, the message is appropriately about independence and the process of finding, and accepting, one's own way of looking at the world. And then sharing that back with community and family. But for writers, this book is a tidy and lovely ode to becoming a writer and the writing process. And this goes without saying with a 5-star review - the writing is excellent.
As a final endorsement, this book made me think hard about my Top Five: was it better than "Animal Family"? I finally decided, no, it wasn't, but the fact that it made me pause and reconsider the standing of one favorite books of all time speaks to it caliber.The Animal FamilyRandall Jarrell
February 16, 2009
i've read this a hundred times but got it out again because of something i overheard on the train. first of all, it's written by randall jarrell. then it's illustrated by maurice sendak. finally, and of course, it's for children.
randall jarrell writes everything so pretty pretty pretty. but this story isn't like most kids books where the strange kid wins because everyone learns to appreciate his strangeness after a spate of cruelty and misunderstanding. this story breaks my heart because the little bat hero finds his voice and knows he's different but in the end goes back to doing what all the other bats do. he stops saying his little bat poems and goes to sleep. oh, little bat! no! at the end you'll feel stupid getting so worked up over an imaginary bat who says poems. but you won't really have any choice. damn you, randall jarrell!
randall jarrell writes everything so pretty pretty pretty. but this story isn't like most kids books where the strange kid wins because everyone learns to appreciate his strangeness after a spate of cruelty and misunderstanding. this story breaks my heart because the little bat hero finds his voice and knows he's different but in the end goes back to doing what all the other bats do. he stops saying his little bat poems and goes to sleep. oh, little bat! no! at the end you'll feel stupid getting so worked up over an imaginary bat who says poems. but you won't really have any choice. damn you, randall jarrell!
August 21, 2016
In "test-driving" a book for use with my grand-daughter I found this short, charming book and read it. In it, a young bat prefers to keep sleeping in the rafters of the house porch rather than transfer to the barn for the summer. In his isolation he takes to thinking of poetry to describe his world, writing poems for the animals that surround him. He writes poems for the chipmunk, the mockingbird and even for the bats.
This is one of the children's books written by Southern poet and author Randall Jarrell and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Yes, THAT Maurice Sendak. Both the story and the illustrations are charming. If you have a grandchild of about age 4 or 5 this might be a good book to read on a cold, lonely night. It is 42 pages and attention spans are short for so long a tale, but it can be broken up ion segments if you read ahead a bit.
This is one of the children's books written by Southern poet and author Randall Jarrell and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. Yes, THAT Maurice Sendak. Both the story and the illustrations are charming. If you have a grandchild of about age 4 or 5 this might be a good book to read on a cold, lonely night. It is 42 pages and attention spans are short for so long a tale, but it can be broken up ion segments if you read ahead a bit.
November 18, 2008
A children's book, illustrated by Maurice Sendak and written in 1963, it's a charming little story of a bat who learns to create poetry by imitating the mockingbird. Of course, the other bats don't really get it so he looks for another audience and has dreams of actually sharing his poetry with his mentor, the mockingbird.
July 15, 2016
I did not know Randall Jarrell wrote a children's book, illustrated by Maurice Sendak, about the hardships of being a poet. The Bat-Poet is a delight, and not just for poets and their children (but it's sure to be loved by them).
November 6, 2007
I read this every October to my students. It is such a inspiration for them to be an individual, to create lovely images with words, to be outdoors as look and see.
November 27, 2007
A wonderful introduction to poetry for young people.
Sweet and sophisticated.
Sweet and sophisticated.
January 26, 2008
An exceptional read. A fabulous choice for introducing poetry to children.
March 27, 2018
Randall Jarrell + Maurice Sendak = charming.
July 10, 2008
Watch the Bat-Poet learn about poetry, write his own (middling) poems, and eventually become a master bat-poet. This is a fun, charming, lovely book.
July 12, 2021
This is a sweet little children's book I found by accident looking for something else. But it combines the poetry of Randall Jarrell, whose work I previously associated with WWII with the trademark cross-hatch drawings of Maurice Sendak. Such a treat! A little bat is different from his peers - staying awake in the day and tuning in to the daytime surroundings...and learning from the arrogant mockingbird, he starts to compose poems. He is able to capture the essence of the other creatures he sees, but quickly realizes "The trouble isn't making poems, the trouble's finding somebody that will listen to them." His fellow bats cannot understand anything he says about life in the daylight because it is just not part of their world view. He finally finds a little chipmunk who encourages him and he is off and running, creating and composing verse for others and for the joy of it. A subtle, delightful fable about the creative process. "The totality charms by turns the eye, the ear, and the imagination, and as true poetry must, it satisfies the heart." SLJ
May 18, 2025
I grabbed this at the library because I am a poet who has a fascination with bats, so this immediately caught my eye. Sweet story about a curious little bat who creates poems for the animals he observes.
Like most poets, the bat is a bit unconventional. He chooses to sleep on the porch and stay awake in the day to witness the world around him, while the other bats relocate to a barn and stay committed to their nocturnal ways. Intended for children, the story very subtly shows how a creative life requires stepping away from expectations, making space for both solitude & community, and finding inspiration in unexpected places.
The story manages to capture the poet’s ways of witnessing the world, navigating writer’s block, and accepting both praise & criticism.
The writing (from 1963) may feel dated to contemporary kiddos, but burgeoning young poets will see a lot of themselves in the endearing bat-poet.
Sendak’s illustrations are also delightful.
Like most poets, the bat is a bit unconventional. He chooses to sleep on the porch and stay awake in the day to witness the world around him, while the other bats relocate to a barn and stay committed to their nocturnal ways. Intended for children, the story very subtly shows how a creative life requires stepping away from expectations, making space for both solitude & community, and finding inspiration in unexpected places.
The story manages to capture the poet’s ways of witnessing the world, navigating writer’s block, and accepting both praise & criticism.
The writing (from 1963) may feel dated to contemporary kiddos, but burgeoning young poets will see a lot of themselves in the endearing bat-poet.
Sendak’s illustrations are also delightful.
March 12, 2019
To me, this fits into the wide category of books that are ostensibly for children but actually play better to (at least certain) adults. It would be a huge negotiation and much sighing and grunting to get my 7-year-old to sit still for it (he's a big reader, but he's young yet) - for me, however, it was a gentle and bittersweet story about the challenges and rewards of trying to creatively reflect your world. It's simple really: A little bat falls out of step with his fellows and begins to view the yard and forest around him in a new way; he discovers that he wants to communicate what he sees through poems, and tries with varying success to find an audience to share them with. Every word is precise, Sendak's illustrations (in a lush, naturalistic mode) are gorgeous, and the whole thing is suffused with love.
September 20, 2021
The language is simple. The poetry is sweet. Why does the chipmunk like the bat's poem for him, but the mockingbird is offended by the bat's poem for him? What makes the animals like poetry? What are we trying to communicate with poetry? The bat asks, "Did you like the way I rhymed the first two lines of the stanzas and then didn't rhyme the last two?" The mockingbird explains, "An iambic foot has one weak syllable and one strong syllable: the weak one comes first. That last line of yours has six syllables and the one before it has ten: when you shorten the last line like that is gets the effect of the night holding its breath." A simple story with simple explorations of the purpose and construction of poetry makes a lovely tale and a fine teaching tool. I plan to use this with one of my students later this year.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews