I Am Bat

PreS-Gr 1—A cherry-loving bat, who doesn't like to share, looks at and talks directly to readers—first singing the praises of cherries and then warning children that the cherries "ARE MINE. Do NOT take my cherries. If you take my cherries I will be ANGRY. I will be FEROCIOUS like a lion. (But smaller and with wings.)" The next full-page spread shows a lion's paw reaching down from the top of the page for some cherries. The bat returns and is disheartened to discover the theft and proceeds to accuse readers—"Was it YOU?" The text switches to shouty, bold all caps when emphasizing its message—an effective touch. While Bat is busy fussing over the missing cherries, kids will giggle to see a frog's arm, a duck's head, and some ants appear from the top of the page to take the remaining cherries from under the bat's nose. With Bat's beloved cherries gone, it declares "I will NEVER be happy again" as the four thieves peer down at and overhear bat from the top of the page. The next page turn shows the four friends dropping a pear down to clueless Bat who is delighted with this new fruit. The story presumably starts all over again with Bat declaring: "I like PEARS. I AM BAT. DO NOT TAKE MY PEAR." While the premise of this story is not a new one, it manages to be novel and funny. The full-color, lino print, and collage illustrations against a solid color background are graphically pleasing. The bat's emotions are shown clearly in its expressions—grumpiness, outrage, despair, and delight.