Overview
Even though most people have never seen a real bat, many find them scary. In reality, bats are shy, gentle animals. There are about 1,000 different kinds of bats, and they live on every continent except Antarctica. Some are tiny like the hog-nosed bat that weighs less than one fourteenth of an ounce. Others are large, such as the giant flying fox with its five-foot wing span.In this informative book Gail Gibbons offers an intriguing look at some of the many different kinds of bats, their amazing abilities, and how these mammals fit into the natural world.
Synopsis
Even though most people have never seen a real bat, many find them scary. In reality, bats are shy, gentle animals. There are about 1,000 different kinds of bats, and they live on every continent except Antarctica. Some are tiny like the hog-nosed bat that weighs less than one fourteenth of an ounce. Others are large, such as the giant flying fox with its five-foot wing span.
In this informative book Gail Gibbons offers an intriguing look at some of the many different kinds of bats, their amazing abilities, and how these mammals fit into the natural world.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-A clever format and succinctly written text distinguish this offering by a prolific author. Gibbons describes bats' general physical characteristics, special traits of some half-dozen species, flying methods, use of echolocation, diet, natural habitats, hibernation, and the birth and development of young. She also discusses the decimation of bats around the world due to loss of habitats and pollution and the efforts to protect the world's only truly flying mammals. A final page offers additional miscellaneous facts. The text is clearly written and well organized. Scientific terms such as "nocturnal," "membrane," and "roosts" are clearly defined in context. Double borders enclose vivid paintings of bats in their natural habitats. While Ann Earle's Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats (HarperCollins, 1995) and Betsy Maestro's Bats: Night Fliers (Scholastic, 1994) cover similar ground, Gibbons's title makes an appealing addition to natural history sections.-Karey Wehner, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
Editorials
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-A clever format and succinctly written text distinguish this offering by a prolific author. Gibbons describes bats' general physical characteristics, special traits of some half-dozen species, flying methods, use of echolocation, diet, natural habitats, hibernation, and the birth and development of young. She also discusses the decimation of bats around the world due to loss of habitats and pollution and the efforts to protect the world's only truly flying mammals. A final page offers additional miscellaneous facts. The text is clearly written and well organized. Scientific terms such as "nocturnal," "membrane," and "roosts" are clearly defined in context. Double borders enclose vivid paintings of bats in their natural habitats. While Ann Earle's Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats (HarperCollins, 1995) and Betsy Maestro's Bats: Night Fliers (Scholastic, 1994) cover similar ground, Gibbons's title makes an appealing addition to natural history sections.-Karey Wehner, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.Therese Durhman
From spooky vampires to amazing echolocation, this book contains both common misconceptions and fascinating facts about the mysterious bat. Large, colorful illustrations and simple diagrams support this fascinating nonfiction selection.—Bookbag Magazine