Think Like a Bat

by Judy Newman

Bats are key characters in so many wonderful children’s books. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, Bats by Gail Gibbons, Bats in the Band by Brian Lies, and Scholastic’s own, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Colandro. I recently read about Dan Riskin’s new book, Fiona the Fruit Bat. This post in the Nerdy Book Club shows how lovingly Dan, a bat expert, feels about his chosen creature of study.

I wish my husband, Jeff, had the opportunity to talk with Dan before he started to act like Carl Spackler in Caddyshack to wage a war on the bats that were living in his barn. It’s an old, drafty barn and thus very welcoming to bats. But it’s hard to store your lawn mower and set up your tool bench if the bats are coming in and out and depositing their guano which, when dried can cause, histoplasmosis—a serious respiratory illness—in humans. Jeff became obsessed with trying to get the bats out of his barn.

I find it difficult to bridge the gap between the beloved and fascinating creatures in the children’s books I love to read—and read to children—and the reality of the histoplasmosis-causing bats who live in the barn and fly out from under table umbrellas. Especially this time of year, as Halloween approaches, bats star in all kinds of wonderful engaging children’s books that help inform and entertain readers of all ages.

Jeff’s dislike of the bats in the barn—and his borderline obsessive need to get them out of his life—was not in sync with the beloved creatures in the books we offer to kids through Scholastic Book Clubs.

Finally, Jeff landed on a better plan. He did extensive research and figured out that to get the bats out of his barn, he had to think like a bat. He learned about bat houses and set them up outside so the bats would have an alternative, warm, bat-friendly place to go that was not the rafters of the barn. It worked: The bats are happily living in their bat houses and Jeff can stack wood and work on the dollhouse he is making for Sophie Rae without worrying about inhaling bat guano dust (or stepping on bat droppings).

Respect and empathy for other creatures—and our fellow humans—is one of the greatest gifts wonderful children’s books can teach all kids. I urge you to read some bat books this season and do some research on these fascinating creatures who are so critical to our ecosystem. And if you want some advice on bat houses, let me know and I’ll give you Jeff’s number.

Happy reading!

XX,
Judy

Judy Newman is President and Reader-in-Chief of Scholastic Book Clubs. For more information, visit judynewmanatscholastic.com.