Batty About Reading?
October. It’s the month of the chilling breezes, kaleidoscopic leaves, and all things pumpkin. In the classroom, it’s the month of the fall read-alouds, spooky activities, and happy Halloween fun. I just love when a topic easily flows into a holiday or thematic month. The scientific topic of bats is a great concept to explore in fall. Let’s further investigate the world of the only mammals that can fly with our 8 Bat Books for October.
Bats, with their mystery and intrigue, have long captured the attention of children. With their nocturnal habits, unique physical features (are they cute or creepy?), and their important role in our ecosystem, bats are a fascinating topic to explore through nonfiction picture books. We have compiled a list of nonfiction and some fun fiction bat picture books to help students explore this enchanting animal.
Nonfiction Books
Let’s start with a classic book that is filled with lots of important information about bats.
1. National Geographic Kids: Bats by Elizabeth Carney
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This book, with its stunning photographs and fascinating facts about bats, is easy to understand for students. The book is informative about bat species, their habitats, and their importance in our ecosystem.
2. Fly Guy Presents Bats by Tedd Arnold
(Merging a little fiction with lots of nonfiction, this an interesting read all about nocturnal mammals.)
Grab yours today before it flies away!
Publisher’s Synopsis: It’s time for a field trip! Fly Guy and Buzz are going into a bat cave to learn all about bats. With straightforward text, humorous asides, and kid-friendly full-bleed photographs throughout, young readers will love learning all about these nocturnal creatures. Award-winning author/illustrator Tedd Arnold really brings nonfiction to life for beginning readers! And this book has eye-catching holographic foil on the front cover!
3. Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by Ann Earle
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This nonfiction book introduces students to the concept of echolocation, and other bat basics such as bats’ mothering habits, where they live, and how they hunt for food. Additionally, there is a simple plan included on how to build a backyard bat house. Talk about hands-on!
4. All Things Bats for Kids by Animal Reads
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This book cover has an instant pick-me-up appeal for kids. With unique and varied facts, intriguing photographs, and a child-friendly layout, this nonfiction read will have your students becoming bat experts in no time. This book dives into the history, diet, lifestyle, and evolution of bats.
5. The Bat: Disgusting Critters by Elise Gravel
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This author has a way of incorporating humor into nonfiction which will make kids think they’re in an episode of Wild Kratts. The conversational text and silly illustrations will have kids devouring facts about bats.
Publisher’s Synopsis: The Bat covers habitat (bats live everywhere except Antarctica!), species (there are over 1,200 kinds of bats), echolocation, hibernation (bats hibernate just like bears!), conservation (don’t disturb a sleeping bat!) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Bat contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.
Bat Activity
Your students can demonstrate their understanding of bats through our Batty About Writing resource. Students gather their learned information and write a nonfiction informational paragraph. Next, they get to be creative and design their own unique bat craft. This resource also comes with a Batty About Writing bulletin board title so you can display their wonderful writing and crafty creatures in your classroom or hallway.
Fiction
Learning all about bat facts is super interesting to students and reading all about fun fictional bat creatures is just as entertaining as well. Check out these fictional bat books.
6. Nightsong by Ari Berk, Illustrated by Loren Long
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I believe this is the new Stellaluna (which is the holy grail of fictional bat books). This beautifully illustrated book is a sweet coming-of-age story about a young bat being sent off into the night for his first time alone.
Publisher’s Synopsis: A breathtaking picture book by award-winning author Ari Berk, illustrated by mega-bestseller Loren Long, about a young bat setting off into the world using only his good sense!Sense is the song you sing out into the world, and the song the world sings back to you. With these words, Chiro’s mother sends him off into the night for the first time alone. It’s an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.
7. Bats in the Library by Brian Lies
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My mother being an elementary school librarian may have influenced me in picking this one, but I love the concept of bats hanging (get it?) around or upside down on spooky bookshelves.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Frolic through the library with Caldecott honor winner and New York Times best-selling creator Brian Lies’ adorable bats. This nighttime escapade is part of the award winning Bat Book series, perfect for bedtime reading as well as budding book lovers on Halloween and all year round. Roam the book-filled halls on this inky evening as the bats wander around the library and cause all sorts of mischief. Brian Lies’ joyful critters and their nocturnal celebration cast library visits in a new light. Even the youngest of readers will want to join the batty book-fest.
Brian Lies has plenty of other fun picture books about bats being in so many places, from the beach to a ballgame.
8. Arabelle: The Little Bat with the Most Wonderful Glasses by Danielle R. Linder
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A social-emotional picture book about being confident of your uniqueness, this story has a wonderful lesson.
Publisher’s Synopsis: Children often struggle with feelings of insecurity at some point in their childhood. When children feel that there is something about them that makes them “different” from the others in their peer group, they often express fear, sadness and anger. Some children are afraid that they are too short, too tall or just don’t fit in.
One of the most important things we can teach our children is that our differences make us special. Arabelle struggles with the idea that if she has to wear glasses, she will not be the same as her friends and they will taunt and tease her. She quickly learns that we are all different in our own special way, and, in fact, having new pink glasses proves to be absolutely wonderful!
Conclusion
Bats offer a fascinating and unique way to engage students in nonfiction and fiction readings. These books are wonderful resources to teach the world of bats. Whether students are looking to learn scientific knowledge or teachers are wanting to foster a love of reading, this batty for bats book list has something to offer every classroom. So, open up the world of bats to your students and watch their imaginations take flight!
