A Boy Called Bat

Description

The first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum. For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises-some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat's mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he's got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet. "This sweet and thoughtful novel chronicles Bat's experiences and challenges at school with friends and teachers and at home with his sister and divorced parents. Approachable for younger or reluctant readers while still delivering a powerful and thoughtful story" (from the review by Brightly, which named A Boy Called Bat a best book of the year). Elana K. Arnold's Bat trilogy is a proven winner in the home and classroom-kids love these short illustrated young middle grade books. The trilogy is A Boy Called Bat, Bat and the Waiting Game, and Bat and the End of Everything.

Elana K. Arnold is the author of many books for children and teens, including the middle grade novels A Question of Miracles, Far From Fair, and A Boy Called Bat, and the YA novels What Girls Are Made Of and Infandous. What Girls Are Made Of was a 2017 National Book Award finalist, and her other books have been variously included on the Los Angeles Public Library's Best Books of the Year list, the Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year list, the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list, have been ALAN Picks, and have been selected for inclusion in the Amelia Bloomer Project. She holds a master's degree in Creative Writing/Fiction from the University of California, Davis, and currently lives in Huntington Beach, California, with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of animals. Charles Santoso loves drawing little things in his little journal and dreams about funny, wondrous stories. He moves around between different countries to live and work. Charles is always on the lookout for bookstores and cats whenever he explores a new place. You can visit him at www.charlessantoso.com

"How I love this beguiling and big-hearted book! Every child will root for Bat as he navigates the challenges that come with friendship and change, not to mention skunk parenting. A tender and important tale that belongs on every bookshelf." - Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal-winning author of The One and Only Ivan "This engaging and insightful story makes readers intimately aware of what Bat is thinking and how he perceives the events and people in his life. With empathy and humor, Arnold delves into Bat's relationships with his divorced parents, older sister, teachers, and classmates." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Brimming with quietly tender moments, subtle humor, and authentically rendered family dynamics, Arnold's story, the first in a new series, offers a nonprescriptive and deeply heartfelt glimpse into the life of a boy on the autism spectrum." - ALA Booklist "Comfortably familiar and quietly groundbreaking, this introduction to Bat should charm readers, who will likely look forward to more opportunities to explore life from Bat's particular point of view." - Kirkus Reviews "A Boy Called Bat will help children understand autism and that everybody loves animals." - Temple Grandin, author of Animals In Translation "Delightful, endearing, and utterly relatable, Bat Tam is destined to be a dear and necessary friend for young readers. I adore him and his story." - Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy "A Boy Called Bat is sensitive, sweet, and super fun. I read this book with the biggest smile on my face." - Corinne Duyvis, author of Otherbound