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The Gentleman Bat
Join the charismatic gentleman bat on a night time stroll down cobblestone streets where the town is lively and energetic. Along the way he meets his lady friend. Dancing and merriment fill their evening until the weather takes a turn. But not to worry, when you're called the gentleman bat, you always come prepared. The Gentleman Bat is an original story with a timeless appeal. While it takes place in the Victorian-era, it has the universal appeal of two friends, or perhaps more than friends, enjoying a walk together. But what really sets The Gentleman Bat apart are the illustrations. Piotr Parda's watercolor and bamboo pen and ink paintings are meticulously crafted. The Gentleman Bat is sure to become a favorite book for children and the adults in their lives.
44 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Abraham Schroeder
4 books7 followersInformation about author events, school visits, and new books can be found here:
Abraham's Facebook Author Page
Abraham Schroeder is an artist, designer, and writer, currently living in Petaluma, California with his family, after residing in a dozen other places, including Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Minnesota, Alaska, and Japan.
At Amherst College, he majored in Asian Studies and Fine Arts, and spent two years in Kyoto, Japan, studying, teaching, and translating, before attending the Master of Fine Arts program at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
He worked for 7 years in the Asian Art Department at the Museum of Fine Arts, and during that time managed a massive 5-year project to catalog, digitize, and rehouse the MFA's spectacular collection of 50,000+ Japanese prints.
An 1880’s woodblock print of bats by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi in the MFA collection was the seed of inspiration for his first published book, The Gentleman Bat , from Ripple Grove Press. The book was illustrated by a friend from graduate school, Piotr Parda, and many of the paintings in the book contain nods to some of their favorite artists and artworks.
His second book, Too Many Tables , also from Ripple Grove Press was illustrated by his cousin, Micah Monkey, and features fun, colorful illustrations alongside a comically entertaining story.
Some of Abraham's artwork can be found here:
www.AbrahamSchroeder.com
Abraham's Facebook Author Page
Abraham Schroeder is an artist, designer, and writer, currently living in Petaluma, California with his family, after residing in a dozen other places, including Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Minnesota, Alaska, and Japan.
At Amherst College, he majored in Asian Studies and Fine Arts, and spent two years in Kyoto, Japan, studying, teaching, and translating, before attending the Master of Fine Arts program at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
He worked for 7 years in the Asian Art Department at the Museum of Fine Arts, and during that time managed a massive 5-year project to catalog, digitize, and rehouse the MFA's spectacular collection of 50,000+ Japanese prints.
An 1880’s woodblock print of bats by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi in the MFA collection was the seed of inspiration for his first published book, The Gentleman Bat , from Ripple Grove Press. The book was illustrated by a friend from graduate school, Piotr Parda, and many of the paintings in the book contain nods to some of their favorite artists and artworks.
His second book, Too Many Tables , also from Ripple Grove Press was illustrated by his cousin, Micah Monkey, and features fun, colorful illustrations alongside a comically entertaining story.
Some of Abraham's artwork can be found here:
www.AbrahamSchroeder.com
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 2, 2020
well, hello there, gentleman bat! lovely to see you!
that gentleman bat is one dapper mofo.
if i were to give you a plot summary of this book, it would go a little something like this: gentleman bat goes for an evening stroll with a lady bat.
wow. that went quicker than i expected. did i mention that the story rhymed? still time? good thing there are also pictures for me to talk about!!
because look at these fancy bats dance!!
and as impressed as i am that gentleman bat managed to get his wings sorted out through the complications of that suit jacket, i am doubly impressed with lady bat's managing the same not only with her fancy frock, but also with the further obstacle of her corset. backwards and in high heels indeed, lady bat! well done!
i am really in love with all the illustrations in this book, even the ones that don't have sartorially-advanced bats in them:
but, you gotta admit, these bats really are superb, and the detail in these illustrations makes you want to look at them for much longer than it will actually take you to read the book.
a really lovely book with a charming bat couple i would like to see the further adventures of, please.
come to my blog!
that gentleman bat is one dapper mofo.
if i were to give you a plot summary of this book, it would go a little something like this: gentleman bat goes for an evening stroll with a lady bat.
wow. that went quicker than i expected. did i mention that the story rhymed? still time? good thing there are also pictures for me to talk about!!
because look at these fancy bats dance!!
and as impressed as i am that gentleman bat managed to get his wings sorted out through the complications of that suit jacket, i am doubly impressed with lady bat's managing the same not only with her fancy frock, but also with the further obstacle of her corset. backwards and in high heels indeed, lady bat! well done!
i am really in love with all the illustrations in this book, even the ones that don't have sartorially-advanced bats in them:
but, you gotta admit, these bats really are superb, and the detail in these illustrations makes you want to look at them for much longer than it will actually take you to read the book.
a really lovely book with a charming bat couple i would like to see the further adventures of, please.
come to my blog!
October 11, 2014
I love everything about this book. The story is endearing and the illustrations are amazing. A simple story about a dashing bat out on the town with his lady friend who is until the end a true gentleman. As someone who is always trying to come up with exciting new toddler story times and crafts this book was a hit.
December 14, 2021
It bothers me that the clothes don't work, because I am like that. But bats in spats out for a night on the town!
Library copy
Library copy
September 12, 2014
The book is really pretty with such a unique premise. It unusual to see a complex anthropomorphic animal in a picture book, but it doesn't look awkward at all.
October 28, 2021
Wow, what a weird, beautiful, delightful book. The story follows a gentleman bat throughout his night spent with a lady bat friend. They dance, they stroll, they enjoy the evening.
Upon seeing the illustrations one of my coworkers said they were a bit macabre and I thought they were a bit Noir or Steampunk-ish but none of those is quite right. They're dark and it seems like a Victorian setting and style of clothing. They're also fascinating and eerily beautiful, especially when you notice the details of how the bats hold things and how things are human with a slight twist (a food vendor...with a giant centipede on a stick).
The text is a bit long but if your little one is looking for something to read with your little one who loves slightly spooky books, this may be a good one.
Upon seeing the illustrations one of my coworkers said they were a bit macabre and I thought they were a bit Noir or Steampunk-ish but none of those is quite right. They're dark and it seems like a Victorian setting and style of clothing. They're also fascinating and eerily beautiful, especially when you notice the details of how the bats hold things and how things are human with a slight twist (a food vendor...with a giant centipede on a stick).
The text is a bit long but if your little one is looking for something to read with your little one who loves slightly spooky books, this may be a good one.
December 14, 2018
The only word to describe this book is charming. It gave me a nice old-timey feel. Not sure how children would feel about it, but it made me long for the days of gentlemen and lady bats wandering the streets of Victorian London...
January 5, 2021
A sweet little book with an old-timey feel. Definitely feels like a children's book from a bygone era. The characters are bats, and they look like real bats, which is a little creepy to me, but they are drawn in an engaging way. Enjoyable.
April 13, 2022
Loved this illustrated story about a bat and his girlfriend. Or should I say a Gentleman Bat and the Gentlewoman Bat he was courting. Brilliant. Especially loved his jammies in the last scene - and also loved finding the Japanese woodblock print on the Gentleman's wall.
September 24, 2022
The illustrations were cute and I like that they put the bat in a humanistic story. But the story didn’t lead anywhere, it felt like just a casual stroll which was exactly what they did in this book. The rhymes were very good though!
December 12, 2023
This book has a very historic feel - from the language choice to the illustrations and even the length and story type. Kids who like old-fashioned tales and dressed up, fancy bats might like this tale.
December 9, 2017
An excellent book.
January 5, 2022
Unique, interesting pictures, and all the rhymes actually rhyme; no half cheeked on-another-planet-in-a-different-accent-this-could-possibly-rhyme.
November 10, 2023
The bats are very cute
December 29, 2014
A fun cute little book. The anatomy of the bat characters (faces, the way the wings fold) is very well done. I really like all of the details in the two-page spread of the town square, with insects as pets on leashes, a snake charmer that appears to be charming an earth worm, and device like an old kinetoscope or similar viewing device that includes two large phonograph-like horns over the viewer which I assume is to provide a sonar accompaniment to the visual entertainment. Another fun detail I thought was the Japanese print on the wall of the gentleman bat's home. It caught my attention initially and I assumed it was based on something real, so I was happy to read on the back leaf about the author and illustrator that it is indeed a real print and was in fact the image that inspired this book.
March 14, 2015
I really enjoyed this gentle little romance. The pictures are gorgeous and just a little silly in the details. The whole thing captures the feel of the Victorian era without ever being overly stuffy or too cartoon-y. These are also probably the most accurate bats you will find outside of a biology book.
My only question is who exactly is the audience for the book? It looks like it should be a children's picture book, is presented as such, and there is nothing in it that is inappropriate for kids. But the feel of the book is much more adult. I'm not saying that this is right or wrong, but something to ponder.
My only question is who exactly is the audience for the book? It looks like it should be a children's picture book, is presented as such, and there is nothing in it that is inappropriate for kids. But the feel of the book is much more adult. I'm not saying that this is right or wrong, but something to ponder.
May 3, 2016
A charming story with a hint of Steampunk flavor, this sweet children's book follows the adventures of The Gentleman Bat, as he and his lady bat friend enjoy a romantic evening of strolling and dancing. Not only did I really enjoy this fun, little story, but I loved the illustrations by Piotr Parda which had all these great little details (like bat gargoyles on the buildings that the Gentleman Bat passes in his travels and the bat band at the dance that hung upside down as they played.)
All in all, the Gentleman Bat made a great addition to my collection of children's books and I can't wait to share it with my nieces and nephews. Thanks to my friend, Michelle, who recommended it to me!
All in all, the Gentleman Bat made a great addition to my collection of children's books and I can't wait to share it with my nieces and nephews. Thanks to my friend, Michelle, who recommended it to me!
December 28, 2016
Great book for kids starting about age 6 who can start to appreciate a longer picture book. I'm not coming to this book as a big bat fan to begin with, so I liked that it's a lyrical way to get kids excited about bats, ( though that's a side benefit and not the main purpose of the story- would make a great feature to a nature /bat awareness event). The best part is the intelligent rhyming, sophisticated vocabulary, and artist level illustrations. I've read 1,000s of children's books and many are just junk, it's so refreshing to read a book that was so respectfully crafted for a change!
December 19, 2014
This is a Nice book. It's kind of Victorian, kind of Steampunk, kind of old fashioned. The pictures are detailed, the bats are so ugly they're cute. It works, but it's not earth-shattering perfection, either.
January 25, 2015
Quite respectable offering from a "family-owned children's book publishing company" that appears to be just getting off the ground.
March 12, 2015
I loved the illustrations, and it was a very sweet story. I think it might appeal more to grownups with a penchant for Victorian England (or steampunk) than kids, though...
April 7, 2015
This book was so cute. I loved the illustrations. It is unlike any children's book I have read.
December 11, 2016
"He smiled at her fondly and bowed low in greeting.
"Good evening," he said, and "Fancy us meeting!"
So sweet and charming!
"Good evening," he said, and "Fancy us meeting!"
So sweet and charming!
November 11, 2014
Cute with the Steampunk overtones but it was a good beginning and end with a meh middle.
April 8, 2017
An old-fashioned tale told in verse about some rather fancy bats
A cute simple story of Victorian-era style and manners paired with highly detailed illustrations.
This title was a great first offering from a new children's picture book publishing company- Ripple Grove Press- based in Portland, Oregon!
A cute simple story of Victorian-era style and manners paired with highly detailed illustrations.
This title was a great first offering from a new children's picture book publishing company- Ripple Grove Press- based in Portland, Oregon!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews