Bats (Biggest! Littlest!)

Gr 2-5--Markle returns to the world of bats in this simply written introduction to a fascinating array of flitterers. Using size as a starting point, she goes on to explain the benefits of being large or small, and the adaptations bats have made in their chosen habitats and lifestyles over the millennia. From extra-long tongues for nectar extraction to super-sharp talons for snatching slippery fish, flaps of skin around the nose to allow them to hear echoes from one direction at a time and suction cups on thumbs and ankles, bats have evolved to fill empty ecological niches. The clear text is simple and readable, describing the hunting techniques of microbats and the fruit-finding talents of megabats, and even delves into some forms of bat housing. Enriched by superb color photos and complete with sites for further investigation, the whole presentation is interesting and useful as well as attractive. On a par with Elizabeth Carney's equally handsome Bats (National Geographic, 2010) and far simpler than Markle's own Outside & Inside Bats (Walker, 2004), this eye-catching work fills a niche of its own.--Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Veteran science writer Markle's basic introduction maintains a fine balance between general observations and specific facts. She has chosen particularly well when it comes to the photos: bats in flight, at rest, seizing prey, and clearly displaying distinctive body parts ('Compared to its body size, the Tube-Lipped Nectar Bat has the world's longest tongue'). Along with identifying 14 kinds of bats and explaining how their sizes influence their behaviors, she discusses bat diets and senses, the differences between the way bats and birds use their wings to fly, how they care for their young, and other relevant topics. . ." —Booklist

." . . The clear text is simple and readable, describing the hunting techniques of microbats and the fruit-finding talents of megabats, and even delves into some forms of bat housing. Enriched by superb color photos and complete wtih sites for further investigation, the whole presentation is interesting and useful as well as attractive. . . " —School Library Journal