Bats and Their Homes

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Each of these overviews briefly describes a few outstanding physical and behavioral characteristics common to all species, some special characteristics of individual species, types of habitats, and the birth of young. Also mentioned is the endangerment of these creatures through humankind's pollution, destruction of habitat, and deliberate decimation. While the texts are clearly written, the organization of information is weak; each short chapter follows the next in seemingly random order. In addition, placing the definitions of terms in a glossary instead of explaining them as they appear may confuse readers. Clear, color photographs appear on almost every page; in some instances, the large-print text is set over photo spreads. Other introductions to these animals cover anatomy, senses, behavior, etc., in greater depth, including Gail Gibbons's colorfully illustrated Bats (Holiday, 1999).-Karey Wehner, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.