What do you think?
Rate this book
Scientists in the Field
The Bat Scientists
Dr. Merlin Tuttle and his colleagues at Bat Conservation International aren't scared of bats. These bat crusaders are fascinated by them, with good reason. Bats fly the night skies in nearly every part of the world, but they are the least studied of all mammals. As the major predator of night-flying insects, bats eat many pests. Unfortunately bats are facing many problems, including a terrifying new disease. White-nose Syndrome is infecting and killing millions of hibernating bats in North America. But Dr. Tuttle, with the help of his fellow bat scientists are in the trenches--and caves--on the front line of the fight to save their beloved bats.
80 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2010
About the author
Mary Kay Carson
96 books47 followersMary Kay Carson is an award-winning children’s nonfiction author. She has written more than thirty books for young people about wildlife, space, weather, nature, and history. Her recent non-fiction titles include Emi and the Rhino Scientist, about the Cincinnati Zoo's famous rhino mom; Exploring the Solar System, recipient of the 2009 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Children’s Literature Award; The Wright Brothers for Kids; Inside Tornadoes; and the Far-Out Guide to the Solar System series. The author also gives presentations at schools and libraries about space, animals, history, and writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 18, 2018
Another excellent entry in the Scientists in the Field series. Carson here follows Dr. Merlin Tuttle and the scientists of Bat Conservation International as they study bats at Bracken Bat Cave in Texas and other American sites. Some of these species are endangered, largely due to habitat destruction and a disease called white-nose syndrome. I learned that not every cave is suitable for bats; roosting places need to be sheltered, warm, and dry, whereas hibernating places need to be cool and undisturbed. If bats wake up too often during the winter it uses too up too much energy, and they might not survive until the spring. This fact emphasizes the importance of not disturbing bats during winter. I was pleased to read that the bat scientists have been successful in closing off some hibernation caves so that people can no longer get in, thereby protecting the bats. I also learned that wind turbines can kill bats, though, according to the book, scientists aren’t sure exactly how this happens. It was all so interesting. In several episodes of the TV program “Infested,” people were plagued by bats in their houses but couldn’t kill them because they are endangered. In this book the scientists built bat houses, and now I’m wondering if offering the bats houses of their own would lure them out of people’s houses—or would it just attract even more bats? I’ll have to find a bat scientist to ask. Reading this book gave me a new outlook on bats, as I’m sure it will to young readers. Highly recommended!
June 10, 2010
I don't know if you know this about me, but I love bats. They are so cool! They eat insects. They're the only mammals that truly fly. They hang upside down. I just think bats are really cool. In fact, I can't even count the number of times I said, "Oh, cool!" as I was reading this book.
The beautiful photos, ranging from stunning wide shots of millions of bats to unique close-ups of individuals, will win you over to my side. And the book's got all the elements you'd expect from this series - an index, glossary, and sources. This book will be great for young bat fanatics and it may inspire others to learn more about these awesome animals!
More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/...
The beautiful photos, ranging from stunning wide shots of millions of bats to unique close-ups of individuals, will win you over to my side. And the book's got all the elements you'd expect from this series - an index, glossary, and sources. This book will be great for young bat fanatics and it may inspire others to learn more about these awesome animals!
More on the blog: http://www.abbythelibrarian.com/2010/...
July 4, 2012
I remember the bat episode from Reading Rainbow. I suppose that episode was all I felt I could want to know about bats. After that I was not afraid of bats, though I was wary of them until I lived in Nauvoo and we had bats who roosted in one of the old smokestack things at the Joseph Smith Academy building. I grew to enjoy watching them come out at night and knew there was nothing to be wary of. But I still didn't feel like there was more I needed or wanted to know of bats, until I read this book.
I had no idea that many bats are endangered. I didn't know much about where they roosted or how much they affect the ecosystem. I now have a much stronger awareness of bats because of this book, learning much more than I could have thought was available (even though there is still so much they don't know about bats!). I also feel like I want to champion these poor little guys, because they are rather cute and they are helpful and harmless to us.
The writing of this book was all right. There was a lot of repetition that started to bother me. Otherwise I think this is a nice choice for a Beehive nominee because it gives kids some great information on not only bats but also the scientists who are trying to help them. Interesting facts that may turn other kids--like me--into bat supporters.
I had no idea that many bats are endangered. I didn't know much about where they roosted or how much they affect the ecosystem. I now have a much stronger awareness of bats because of this book, learning much more than I could have thought was available (even though there is still so much they don't know about bats!). I also feel like I want to champion these poor little guys, because they are rather cute and they are helpful and harmless to us.
The writing of this book was all right. There was a lot of repetition that started to bother me. Otherwise I think this is a nice choice for a Beehive nominee because it gives kids some great information on not only bats but also the scientists who are trying to help them. Interesting facts that may turn other kids--like me--into bat supporters.
Read
December 6, 2012Carson, Mary Kay. (2010). The Bat Scientists. Photography by Tom Uhlman. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 80 pp. ISBN 978-0-547-19956-6 (Hard Cover); $18.99.
When I first moved to Michigan, I was horrified to learn that some of my in-laws regularly killed bats with tennis rackets. Their old historic house has many entrances for creatures as small as bats and their fear and ignorance allowed them to complain about bats in the house while scratching mosquito bites. Some even believed that bats would fly into their hair. Our own first home in Allegan, Michigan entertained a bat or two. We did not smack them with rackets, however. We opened the window or door and our winged friend would fly out within minutes. The Bat Scientists is written for my in-laws and, unfortunately, thousands of people just like them.
As much as I admire and understand bats, however, this book fills me with new respect for bat scientists! I cannot imagine walking in fecal matter filled with beetles that quickly remove all traces of footprints and even gnaw the flesh off the bones of baby Mexican free-tailed bats unfortunate enough to fall into these living guano piles. I haven’t even mentioned the need to clean the mites from my hair that drip like rain inside the dark bat cave. Have I mentioned the humid, one hundred degree temperature or the persistent and dangerous ammonia smell? Carson explores basic bat biology, general facts about natural predators of bats, bat life cycle in nature, myths associated with bats, bat benefits, cave dynamics, and various famous bat locations, such as Bracken Bat Cave (largest colony of bats in the world), Saltpeter Cave, Laurel Cave, and several bat bridges. Bat scientists are desperately trying to understand the cause of White-Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that may drive several species of bats into extinction. We also learn that wind energy, which is seen as an exceptional green form of energy, is responsible for killing thousands of bats. The blades are not smacking the bats in mid flight. Often the bats have no external injuries. Scientists suspect the spinning blades cause the air pressure to drop too rapidly for the bats’ lungs and their lungs simply explode. This book is part of the FABULOUS Scientists in the Field series and as with all titles in this series the text is informative and conversational. The photography and graphics are excellent. Add this book to any library anywhere in the country for students of any age!
When I first moved to Michigan, I was horrified to learn that some of my in-laws regularly killed bats with tennis rackets. Their old historic house has many entrances for creatures as small as bats and their fear and ignorance allowed them to complain about bats in the house while scratching mosquito bites. Some even believed that bats would fly into their hair. Our own first home in Allegan, Michigan entertained a bat or two. We did not smack them with rackets, however. We opened the window or door and our winged friend would fly out within minutes. The Bat Scientists is written for my in-laws and, unfortunately, thousands of people just like them.
As much as I admire and understand bats, however, this book fills me with new respect for bat scientists! I cannot imagine walking in fecal matter filled with beetles that quickly remove all traces of footprints and even gnaw the flesh off the bones of baby Mexican free-tailed bats unfortunate enough to fall into these living guano piles. I haven’t even mentioned the need to clean the mites from my hair that drip like rain inside the dark bat cave. Have I mentioned the humid, one hundred degree temperature or the persistent and dangerous ammonia smell? Carson explores basic bat biology, general facts about natural predators of bats, bat life cycle in nature, myths associated with bats, bat benefits, cave dynamics, and various famous bat locations, such as Bracken Bat Cave (largest colony of bats in the world), Saltpeter Cave, Laurel Cave, and several bat bridges. Bat scientists are desperately trying to understand the cause of White-Nose Syndrome, a fungal disease that may drive several species of bats into extinction. We also learn that wind energy, which is seen as an exceptional green form of energy, is responsible for killing thousands of bats. The blades are not smacking the bats in mid flight. Often the bats have no external injuries. Scientists suspect the spinning blades cause the air pressure to drop too rapidly for the bats’ lungs and their lungs simply explode. This book is part of the FABULOUS Scientists in the Field series and as with all titles in this series the text is informative and conversational. The photography and graphics are excellent. Add this book to any library anywhere in the country for students of any age!
September 13, 2010
Original review at Layers of Thought.
A great book with incredible pictures. It is perfect for the Halloween and fall season.
Synopsis: A preteen and children’s book based upon a group of people whose aim is to educate children (and adults too) about our fellow planetary inhabitants - bats. It is written by scientists with a love of this special but ugly animal.
Bats are an umbrella species – if they are protected then it naturally extends to the protection of other species, helping them to thrive and survive. Sadly many species of bats in the US and around the world are in danger of extinction due to habitat loss, incorrect beliefs and myths, as well as a mysterious disease called white nose syndrome which is addressed in the book.
This book helps to teach by giving children and young adults science- based information about the importance of bats to local ecosystems. It also includes some disgusting and buggy scatological information which children love.
My Thoughts: I love love love bats. They are so cute – ugly cute. Most with faces only a mother could love. They are also an indicator species. Their health is an indication of our planet’s health, our warning – the figurative “canary in the coal mine”. You can’t help asking the question, if bats are dying, what’s next?
This book is simple and intriguing, with some incredible pictures, and a bunch of enlightening facts that everyone should know. Its a great fall read for the classroom and a trick or treat gift instead of candy or sweets. And besides, did I mention that I love bats - 4 stars.
A great book with incredible pictures. It is perfect for the Halloween and fall season.
Synopsis: A preteen and children’s book based upon a group of people whose aim is to educate children (and adults too) about our fellow planetary inhabitants - bats. It is written by scientists with a love of this special but ugly animal.
Bats are an umbrella species – if they are protected then it naturally extends to the protection of other species, helping them to thrive and survive. Sadly many species of bats in the US and around the world are in danger of extinction due to habitat loss, incorrect beliefs and myths, as well as a mysterious disease called white nose syndrome which is addressed in the book.
This book helps to teach by giving children and young adults science- based information about the importance of bats to local ecosystems. It also includes some disgusting and buggy scatological information which children love.
My Thoughts: I love love love bats. They are so cute – ugly cute. Most with faces only a mother could love. They are also an indicator species. Their health is an indication of our planet’s health, our warning – the figurative “canary in the coal mine”. You can’t help asking the question, if bats are dying, what’s next?
This book is simple and intriguing, with some incredible pictures, and a bunch of enlightening facts that everyone should know. Its a great fall read for the classroom and a trick or treat gift instead of candy or sweets. And besides, did I mention that I love bats - 4 stars.
June 8, 2010
This is a fabulous addition to the Scientists in the Field series. It makes bats interesting and accessible and clears up some of the myths and prejudices against these amazing creatures. I was quite ready to install a bat shelter in my yard by the time I finished this one. I hope this book will help in the fight to protect bats in the United States, both by educating kids, parents, & teachers, and through donations from the sale of the book (isn't that fabulous?!) Highly recommended!
March 26, 2016
+Full of interesting information with great pictures . If you buy this book you help scientists with bat conservation efforts.
Unfortunately, many people don't know the important role bats play in our ecosystem. Most people are misinformed and frightened by them.
I learned a lot from this book and it's a great way of showing children what goes behind studying these extraordinary animals.
Unfortunately, many people don't know the important role bats play in our ecosystem. Most people are misinformed and frightened by them.
I learned a lot from this book and it's a great way of showing children what goes behind studying these extraordinary animals.
October 21, 2012
Follow Bat Conservation International as the gather facts about one of the least studied mammals. Incredible photography and authoritative text. All round excellent resource!
October 14, 2012
Citation: The Bat Scientists, by Mary Kay Carson. (Houghton Mifflin, 2010). 80p. Informational Text.
Summary: This book seeks to inform the reader about bats and correct misunderstandings about the species. The layout includes sections of text, photographs, diagrams, and maps. It also provides a glossary and suggests books and websites for further research.
Critique: (a.) This book is an excellent example of accurate informational texts. The book is broken into chapters ranging from a beginner’s understanding to information on how to get involved to ensure survival. Each chapter of narrative text includes information about the scientists, often with direct quotes and events. The facts are presented in a straightforward manner, in easily digestible chunks of information, and are woven throughout the narration.
(b.)In reading each section of the text, it is apparent that the author has a good understanding of the facts. The work of scientist Merlin Tuttle and other biologists is sited along with general facts to inform the reader. Websites and text resources are listed in the back of the book to allow the reader to check facts and find out the latest news.
(c.)After dispelling common myths and examining the current movement to provide safe shelter for bats, Chapter Five explains how important it is for scientist to understand the mysteries of the species. Tuttle is quoted as saying, “Bats are the least studied of mammals.” (p.68) This study is important if scientists are to help bats survive. One concern, white-nose syndrome, is explained in depth on pages 68 – 71. This topic is further explained on page 78 “Learn More About Bats,” and four websites are given to provide more information. This is an ongoing issue for North America, considering that this summer, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service awarded thirty grants for work in this area.
Curriculum Connection: I would use this book to model reading a narrative non-fiction text,
emphasizing the sources and facts. This could be done with short excerpts. I would also use it during October to compare fiction and non-fiction texts, since its subject is one that often comes up during this time of year. Additionally, this book is a great source of information for local conservation projects.
Summary: This book seeks to inform the reader about bats and correct misunderstandings about the species. The layout includes sections of text, photographs, diagrams, and maps. It also provides a glossary and suggests books and websites for further research.
Critique: (a.) This book is an excellent example of accurate informational texts. The book is broken into chapters ranging from a beginner’s understanding to information on how to get involved to ensure survival. Each chapter of narrative text includes information about the scientists, often with direct quotes and events. The facts are presented in a straightforward manner, in easily digestible chunks of information, and are woven throughout the narration.
(b.)In reading each section of the text, it is apparent that the author has a good understanding of the facts. The work of scientist Merlin Tuttle and other biologists is sited along with general facts to inform the reader. Websites and text resources are listed in the back of the book to allow the reader to check facts and find out the latest news.
(c.)After dispelling common myths and examining the current movement to provide safe shelter for bats, Chapter Five explains how important it is for scientist to understand the mysteries of the species. Tuttle is quoted as saying, “Bats are the least studied of mammals.” (p.68) This study is important if scientists are to help bats survive. One concern, white-nose syndrome, is explained in depth on pages 68 – 71. This topic is further explained on page 78 “Learn More About Bats,” and four websites are given to provide more information. This is an ongoing issue for North America, considering that this summer, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service awarded thirty grants for work in this area.
Curriculum Connection: I would use this book to model reading a narrative non-fiction text,
emphasizing the sources and facts. This could be done with short excerpts. I would also use it during October to compare fiction and non-fiction texts, since its subject is one that often comes up during this time of year. Additionally, this book is a great source of information for local conservation projects.
February 11, 2013
The Bat Scientists is basically a cheerleader for bats and a reminder of how important bats are to many ecosystems. Bats have long been misunderstood and mistreated by humans; some of the most common bat myths are that they are disease-carrying, human-biting, flying rodents. In actuality bats do not carry disease at a higher rate than other mammals, they typically avoid humans, and are more closely related to monkeys than rodents. The book follows various bat scientists and details their work, while also including information and interesting facts about bats and all the reasons why they truly do matter. The book is filled with photographs of various bat species, the caves they dwell and hibernate in (hibernacula), other natural and man-made bat habitats, and photos of bat scientists working in the field. Also included are detailed diagrams, many pairing actual photos with added illustration for better understanding of concepts discussed in the book such as ultrasonic echolocation. Admittedly when I picked up this book I was a bit disgusted just by the cover alone, never having been a fan of bats by any means, I was not looking forward to reading this book. Much to my surprise, although I admit bats still creep me out a bit, I definitely have a newfound respect for these creatures and a better understanding of the importance of their survival. Overall, the book did an excellent job of presenting thorough information on the many aspects of bats, their habitats, threats to bats, and the organization Bat Conservation International (BCI) and its efforts. The photographs throughout the book brought the reader up-close and personal with the bats, and more importantly the photos showed the bats in a non-threatening way, this is important since bats have historically been pictured and imagined exactly the opposite. Young readers will really enjoy this book and not only learn a lot about bats but surely appreciate them more after reading it. For those who want to learn more about bats, the author includes a list of resources at the end of the book, included in these resources is information on putting up your own bat house via BCI’s website, readers can do their part by helping bats in their own backyard.
May 6, 2012
Book type: informational text
Intended audience: 9 year olds, 5th grade and up
I live in Austin, Texas, which is home to the largest urban Mexican Free Tailed bat population in the United States. I think our brown bats are adorable. I remember them flapping around to collect insects during late-night football games, or the smell of bat guana as I took my canoe under the Congress Avenue bridge, or the stray sick bat on the playground. We took field trips to Natural Bridge Caverns and would see bats there. Every year, we have some educational week devoted to these creatures, since they are so popular with the kids. This book had a lot of great information. For instance, some bats live more than forty years. And there's a chemical in vampire bat spit that breaks up blood clots; scientists used this to treat people who have had strokes. Wow!
Illustrations:
The photographs are very close up and Uhlman really outdid himself. Check out the front cover. They always look to me like they are smiling. The first page has a wonderful shot of the Congress Bridge in Austin (I think), with people and bats together at twilight. It doesn't say where it is, but there are labeled Austin photographs on pages 60 and 61. Do not skip over the photo of the rescued baby red bat on page 29. It's being bottle fed.
Lessons:
--Bats, all 1,100 species
--Geography
--Clarification on the Dracula myth, and other myths about bads (that they are blind or have rabies or get caught in people's hair, etc.
Book Pairings:
--A Place for Frogs, Melisse Stewart and Higgins Bond (tie into multiple kinds and dwindling populations)
--Stellaluna, Janell Cannon
--Bats at the Library, Brian Lies
--Bats, Gail Gibbons
--Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats, Anne Earle (Author) and Henry Cole (Illustrator)
Other:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHYk8v... = bats in Austin video
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_... = information about Mexican Free Tailed Bats
Intended audience: 9 year olds, 5th grade and up
I live in Austin, Texas, which is home to the largest urban Mexican Free Tailed bat population in the United States. I think our brown bats are adorable. I remember them flapping around to collect insects during late-night football games, or the smell of bat guana as I took my canoe under the Congress Avenue bridge, or the stray sick bat on the playground. We took field trips to Natural Bridge Caverns and would see bats there. Every year, we have some educational week devoted to these creatures, since they are so popular with the kids. This book had a lot of great information. For instance, some bats live more than forty years. And there's a chemical in vampire bat spit that breaks up blood clots; scientists used this to treat people who have had strokes. Wow!
Illustrations:
The photographs are very close up and Uhlman really outdid himself. Check out the front cover. They always look to me like they are smiling. The first page has a wonderful shot of the Congress Bridge in Austin (I think), with people and bats together at twilight. It doesn't say where it is, but there are labeled Austin photographs on pages 60 and 61. Do not skip over the photo of the rescued baby red bat on page 29. It's being bottle fed.
Lessons:
--Bats, all 1,100 species
--Geography
--Clarification on the Dracula myth, and other myths about bads (that they are blind or have rabies or get caught in people's hair, etc.
Book Pairings:
--A Place for Frogs, Melisse Stewart and Higgins Bond (tie into multiple kinds and dwindling populations)
--Stellaluna, Janell Cannon
--Bats at the Library, Brian Lies
--Bats, Gail Gibbons
--Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats, Anne Earle (Author) and Henry Cole (Illustrator)
Other:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHYk8v... = bats in Austin video
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_... = information about Mexican Free Tailed Bats
March 20, 2013
Bats is an informational book about bats. It provides information about what bats look like, places they sleep, and how they see with sound. Also it talks about bat colonies and different kinds of bats. This is a really good hands on book it provides the readers to really get involved with what it would be like if a bat is around. It talks about how bats are very hard to see at night, and how you have to be careful walking around. This book provides a fun educational way of learning about bats.
What surprised me in this book is that is that it stated that there is no need to be afraid of bats. All my life I have been scared of bats because I always thought that they would attack me. This book states that bats are actually shy and are in need of our protection. This was something new that I never would have thought to be true. This really caught my eye and found it very fascinating; you learn something new every day.
This would be a good book for a lesson on animals. You could either do a lesson on bats or read this book aloud to the class or if you were doing a general lesson on animals and a student had to do a report on bats I would recommend this book for them to read. If I was doing a lesson on just bats after reading this to the class I would have the kids draw their own bats and write three different facts about bats and then I would display it up in the classroom.
There was no lexile score for this book but this would be a good read aloud for kindergarten and up, and children should be able to read this book independently by the beginning of second grade. The content of this book is not too difficult, and it is a read aloud so the students should be able to understand the book quite easily.
What surprised me in this book is that is that it stated that there is no need to be afraid of bats. All my life I have been scared of bats because I always thought that they would attack me. This book states that bats are actually shy and are in need of our protection. This was something new that I never would have thought to be true. This really caught my eye and found it very fascinating; you learn something new every day.
This would be a good book for a lesson on animals. You could either do a lesson on bats or read this book aloud to the class or if you were doing a general lesson on animals and a student had to do a report on bats I would recommend this book for them to read. If I was doing a lesson on just bats after reading this to the class I would have the kids draw their own bats and write three different facts about bats and then I would display it up in the classroom.
There was no lexile score for this book but this would be a good read aloud for kindergarten and up, and children should be able to read this book independently by the beginning of second grade. The content of this book is not too difficult, and it is a read aloud so the students should be able to understand the book quite easily.
December 7, 2011
Genre: Children’s Book, Informational
Summary: This Scientists in the Field book focuses on bats, which are surprisingly endangered. Mary Kay Carson details the different bats, facts about bats, and shows scientists studying how bats live and how to help them.
Critique: a) One of the great aspects of this book are the colorful photographs and maps which aid in informing the reader of bats.
When children read informative books, many are easily bored by simply stating facts. This book focuses on how to help bats, their homes, and what scientists are doing to study them. To help tell these facts the author includes many pictures and maps. All are colorful and perfectly coordinate with what is going on in the book. Some even help in adding facts. Photos of different types of bats allow the author to include a caption telling about the bat in the photo.
One particular fact that I was interested in was that smaller bats live in North America and some areas surrounding us. Larger bats live in Australia and areas surrounding that continent. A map shows exactly where each type live. This allows for a visual which helps children remember information better.
Curriculum Connection: Teachers can use this book to teach children about bats. Projects on habitats or certain animals can benefit from this book. The teacher can also focus on endangered animals. Children need to realize that animals are being harmed due to environmental changes and humans invading their habitats. Children can be taught how to save these animals. The teacher can use this book to have the children help create a bat house for them to hang outside the school.
Summary: This Scientists in the Field book focuses on bats, which are surprisingly endangered. Mary Kay Carson details the different bats, facts about bats, and shows scientists studying how bats live and how to help them.
Critique: a) One of the great aspects of this book are the colorful photographs and maps which aid in informing the reader of bats.
When children read informative books, many are easily bored by simply stating facts. This book focuses on how to help bats, their homes, and what scientists are doing to study them. To help tell these facts the author includes many pictures and maps. All are colorful and perfectly coordinate with what is going on in the book. Some even help in adding facts. Photos of different types of bats allow the author to include a caption telling about the bat in the photo.
One particular fact that I was interested in was that smaller bats live in North America and some areas surrounding us. Larger bats live in Australia and areas surrounding that continent. A map shows exactly where each type live. This allows for a visual which helps children remember information better.
Curriculum Connection: Teachers can use this book to teach children about bats. Projects on habitats or certain animals can benefit from this book. The teacher can also focus on endangered animals. Children need to realize that animals are being harmed due to environmental changes and humans invading their habitats. Children can be taught how to save these animals. The teacher can use this book to have the children help create a bat house for them to hang outside the school.
Read
December 6, 2013Junior Book Log: Literature Circle 5
Recommending Source: Kimmel
This story was all about bats. Everything that you could ever want to know about bats was discussed in this book. There are so many different kinds of bats!!! This book is packed with diagrams and pictures that would knock your socks off. It has a glossary and a section that is full of fun facts. I really enjoyed this book and I think that it would be a wonderful resource for students and teachers to use in the building. In Virginia the students learn about bats in the first grade, I think that the vocabulary and things are definitely too advanced for a first grader to read on their own, but it would be a great book for the teacher to look threw with the students. The pictures in this book are stunning! They look like they are HD quality pictures. They are so zoomed up close to the bats that you can see all their individual little hairs. I thought bats were really creepy before I started to read this book, but they are actually quite cute! We discussed in out literature circle how amazing this whole series of books is and how great they would be to use in the classroom. They would be a great resource if students were ever assigned a research project or were just curious about all the different topics that they are written about. I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait to go and look at what other "Scientist in the Field" books there are out there.
Recommending Source: Kimmel
This story was all about bats. Everything that you could ever want to know about bats was discussed in this book. There are so many different kinds of bats!!! This book is packed with diagrams and pictures that would knock your socks off. It has a glossary and a section that is full of fun facts. I really enjoyed this book and I think that it would be a wonderful resource for students and teachers to use in the building. In Virginia the students learn about bats in the first grade, I think that the vocabulary and things are definitely too advanced for a first grader to read on their own, but it would be a great book for the teacher to look threw with the students. The pictures in this book are stunning! They look like they are HD quality pictures. They are so zoomed up close to the bats that you can see all their individual little hairs. I thought bats were really creepy before I started to read this book, but they are actually quite cute! We discussed in out literature circle how amazing this whole series of books is and how great they would be to use in the classroom. They would be a great resource if students were ever assigned a research project or were just curious about all the different topics that they are written about. I really enjoyed this story and I can't wait to go and look at what other "Scientist in the Field" books there are out there.
December 9, 2011
1. Informational Junior Book
2. The Bat Scientists provides a look into what bats really are by debunking some myths as well as describing real-life examples of what scientists do in their field. The book provides a look into 4 different scientists careers as well as ways one can be active in bat conservation.
3.The best aspect of this book was how well graphics, visual aids, images and maps were incorporated into the information given in the narrative. The author creates a wonderful narrative that follows 4 different scientists. The scientists examine and explain different parts of bats' environment and how some bat species are endangered. An excellent example is how a map of bat locations are introduced to show where bats are located in the United States as the narrative speaks of the bat cave of the of scientists frequents to d bat research.
4. This book could be used to investigate bats further if a novel with bats in them is being read in a literature class or if a science class is learning about mammals. Bats are more significant because most students do not realize that bats are actually mammals like humans.
2. The Bat Scientists provides a look into what bats really are by debunking some myths as well as describing real-life examples of what scientists do in their field. The book provides a look into 4 different scientists careers as well as ways one can be active in bat conservation.
3.The best aspect of this book was how well graphics, visual aids, images and maps were incorporated into the information given in the narrative. The author creates a wonderful narrative that follows 4 different scientists. The scientists examine and explain different parts of bats' environment and how some bat species are endangered. An excellent example is how a map of bat locations are introduced to show where bats are located in the United States as the narrative speaks of the bat cave of the of scientists frequents to d bat research.
4. This book could be used to investigate bats further if a novel with bats in them is being read in a literature class or if a science class is learning about mammals. Bats are more significant because most students do not realize that bats are actually mammals like humans.
September 16, 2013
Summary - Describes various types of bats, challenges to their survival, and conservation efforts.
Curriculum Connection - Learning about different types of scientists and what a scientist does, learning about mammals, and Earth Day connection for conservation efforts.
Personal Reaction - I found this book really informational. I liked that the author profiled different scientists involved with the organization Bat Conservation International, explaining how each of them became interested in bats and exactly what they did scientifically within the organization. I also liked that the book contained extension information at the end directing readers to other good sources of information on bats.
Visual Appeal - Full color photographs including close up detail images, maps, and diagrams add a lot of interest and additional information.
Intended Audience - Fourth grade and up, about 10 years old.
Curriculum Connection - Learning about different types of scientists and what a scientist does, learning about mammals, and Earth Day connection for conservation efforts.
Personal Reaction - I found this book really informational. I liked that the author profiled different scientists involved with the organization Bat Conservation International, explaining how each of them became interested in bats and exactly what they did scientifically within the organization. I also liked that the book contained extension information at the end directing readers to other good sources of information on bats.
Visual Appeal - Full color photographs including close up detail images, maps, and diagrams add a lot of interest and additional information.
Intended Audience - Fourth grade and up, about 10 years old.
May 3, 2013
Another excellent title in the Scientists in the Field series, this one puts the lie to many myths about bats. In fact, by the time readers finish the book with its engaging text and mesmerizing photographs, they will likely be signing up for newsletters about bats and finding ways to come to their aid. Part of the book focuses on the life work of Dr. Merlin Tuttle, but other sections describe how bats nest under bridges and in caves, and how humans are helping them to survive. Recent threats such as white-nose syndrome and the destruction of much of their habitat out of ignorance or because of the intrusion of humans mean that this species needs all the help it can get.
July 7, 2012
This is a beautiful and interesting book about bats---all kinds! It details the work and conservation efforts of Dr. Merlin Tuttle and his colleagues at Bat Conservation International. This organization was created to protect and educate people about these wonderful creatures. They have a special place in our ecosystem and this book explains the reason they need to be protected. The photographs are stunning! A must-read for anyone interested in bats and conservation.
Read
December 8, 2013This informative book allows readers to get into the world of bats by exploring their habitats, myths about bats, and diseases that are threatening to cause some species to become endangered. This book provided a lot of interesting information and photographs. I think it would be a great book to use in the classroom for science lessons. The audience for this book would be upper elementary.
March 8, 2016
Scientists' actual daily work with photos from the field--all top-notch as usual. But the best books in this series have a strong narrative line, a specific story unfolding through the book. This one is more about the usual effort to shift people's perceptions about bats from negative to positive.
December 16, 2010
Grades 4-8. What a wonderful book about bats. I am so glad someone decided to talk about the white nose syndrome. I'm terrified that all of our bats will be wiped out, and they are amazing animals-- as demonstrated by this book. Go bats!
August 2, 2012
Does a good job of stressing the importance of bats in keeping down insect populations and refutes some age old negative myths about bats. I love the way this series incorporates early childhood interest and curiosity into the scientist bios.
February 25, 2013
I think that this book is interesting because there are some facts in this book, that i didn't know about bats. I didn't know that some bats have different body parts then other bats. I hope to see what i learn next while continuing this book.
July 27, 2013
I wish that this book had existed when I was in elementary school. It has my childhood heroes among the pages: Merlin Tuttle, Barbara French, and more! I feel like this book could really encourage the child who wants to be a wildlife biologist when he or she grows up.
December 10, 2013
I love bats. My students are sure to find this Scientists in the Field edition just as fascinating as I did.
December 31, 2010
Great pictures and info on a wide variety of bats. Great for any kid interested in the subject, or animals in general.
May 26, 2012
Very enlightening, I now want to construct a bat house on our property. I will booktalk this book
for the 5-6th graders next week.
for the 5-6th graders next week.
August 30, 2012
Wow! Who knew bats could be so interesting. I want to put a bat tower in my backyard now to fight off those pesky mosquitoes.
Good format, good pictures, great information. Kids will read it!
Good format, good pictures, great information. Kids will read it!
December 6, 2014
I read this for a lunch bunch book club program at the library - otherwise I'm not sure I would have read it, but it was very interesting.
September 12, 2016
Bats are COOL! I knew that before, but I love the way this book brings it home.
Oh, and I'm considering getting a bat house because mosquitoes are not cool.
Oh, and I'm considering getting a bat house because mosquitoes are not cool.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews