Charlotte Milner returns with another fantastic book.
This time it is on the life of bats, the only mammal that can fly. It follows The Bee Book, an outstanding informational
overview on the life of bees and their contribution to our lives.
The
Bat Book answers all the questions that children and many
adults, would like to know about the bat.
Within its 22 entries, it shows us why bats are important to humans and details the large role they play in protecting the environment.
There are over 1300 species of bat found around the
world. Of these there are the biggest, smallest, unusual, fastest, and singing
bats. Bats are nocturnal and live in a colony, hibernating during cold months
in cold climates as food is difficult to find. They only give birth to one baby
a year and that’s why bat populations are declining.
There are two main groups: megabats and microbats.
The first live in tropical and subtropical areas such as Africa, Asia and
Australia. The microbats eat mostly insects. Some eat fruit, nectar and other
small animals. Then there are those with the funniest faces!
How do they find food in the dark? Why do they hang
upside down?
In the African savannah, is a 2000 year old baobab
tree that flowers for one night only; once a year. Bats pollinate this tree.
Many people see bats as dangerous, destructive and
disease carrying. This book dispels a
lot of these myths and misunderstandings. It informs us about how bats spread
seeds, play an important ecological role and help in reafforestation.
There are tips on creating a bat-friendly garden with
bat-friendly plants, how to avoid using chemicals, and other environment
protective tips. Children can make a seed ball to throw in a green place to
attract insects that bats eat.
The layout and design is identical to her previous
publication with coloured images and text filling the whole page. It also has a
Bat Index.
This amazing book will change any negative opinions
about bats. It has so much information that I can’t think of a question it
doesn’t cover.
Title:
The Bat Book
Author/Illustrator:
Charlotte Milner
Publisher:
DK, $24.99
Publication
Date: February 2020
Format:
Hardcover
ISBN:
9780241410691
For
ages: 6+
Type:
Non Fiction
