Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery

Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries

by Sandra Markle

Little brown bats do us a big favor. They eat huge numbers of insects! That helps limit the spread of diseases and the damage that insects do to farm crops. But in recent years, large populations of little brown bats have been dying off each winter. Is a virus killing them? Could climate change or pesticides be the cause? Or is it something else? Follow a team of dedicated scientists working to save the little brown bats in this real-life science mystery.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Childrens, Picture Books, Middle Grade, Nature

52 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Sandra Markle is the author of more than two hundred children's books, which have won numerous awards, including Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Books for Children, NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended, and ALA Notable Books for Children. She lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida and frequently travels to schools sharing her program "Sandra Markle's Books Are REAL Adventures."

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few years ago researchers started noticing that an important amount of little brown bats, among other bats, were dying during their hibernation period in winter. Since then many groups of researchers from different organizations have been working together to discover the reason for this disappearance, and to find a solution to this big problem.

Markle exposes in this book the different leads the scientist followed at the beginning, and how they found the right path to finally find "the killer". The author not only explains the importance of bats for humans, the symptoms of the sick bats, etc., but she also shows in an engaging way how scientists work to solve a problem. Without naming it, Markle is showing the kids how the scientific method works.

The book also includes a glossary, a list of books and websites to know more, tips to go "bat friendly", and how to find the groups in your area that are working to save the little brown bats.

I'm really glad I crossed path with this author and this series. Great scientific non-fiction option for kids 8-12 years old.

Other titles in this series: The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs: A Scientific Mystery (2011) and The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees: A Scientific Mystery (2013)

Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!

[Christine Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much!!! I'm glad this book exists, and I care about the plight of all our bats!

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been on my to read list since 2014. It's a well written book that talks about what causes white nose syndrome in little brown bats. It details the work scientists are doing to try and stop the spread and save these helpful creatures from extinction. It's depressing as heck. Some experts consider white-nose syndrome to be one of the deadliest wildlife diseases in modern times.

Since this was published in 2013, I did a bit of searching to see what the animal's status is now. In areas where Pd has spread, at least 90% of the bat population has been decimated. In some areas 99% of the bat population was wiped out. It hasn't reached British Columbia yet, but it's just a matter of time before it arrives here.
On a positive note, it looks like some bats might be genetically resistant to the disease. Whether this will make a difference only time will tell.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Relatively new, an exciting mystery, good scientific method, good back matter. And engaging writing style; though it's fairly long for kids I read it straight through.

Markle was able to report in this one that one of the scientists she worked with was actually inspired to become a scientist by one of Markle's earlier books! Yay!

Unfortunately, it looks like the news on bat populations since publication is not good. It's up to you whether to share that with your children or not, but I think it might be a good thing for them to learn. Not all stories have happy endings, after all. Maybe when they grow up they can solve the next animal mystery!

[Judy Desetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information about bats and the mysterious disease that was decimating the bat population. Fortunately dedicated scientists figured out what was causing it. Now they are working to make sure the bat population is able to survive in America.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My science loving second grader enjoyed this informative book. The photographs were fascinating and she liked learning about the steps scientists took to solve this mystery. Some of the vocabulary was a bit beyond her, but the glossary in the back proved helpful.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how Markle showed us the various ideas and tests the scientists used to figure out what was causing the bats to die. Especially because she didn't tell us the answer at the beginning of the book, so the reader learns that scientific research is something of a guessing game at times.

[Brittney Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and adorable audiobook! I love the idea of big picture scientific research made digestible for younger readers and easy for parents to process and explain for eager learners. This was a perfect stepping stone into a topic of interest for me too!

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

With bat decorations just around the corner for Halloween, now is a perfect time to check out this wonderful nonfiction science book with any curious young scientists in your life.

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is about the recent fungal infections (white-nose syndrome) that has decimated brown bat populations in North America.

As a biologist and bat lover myself, I appreciated the way that Markle told this scientific story of epidemiology in an engaging way that can introduce children to diverse concepts: the wonders of nature, the effects of the microbial world on larger familiar organisms, the process of scientific investigation, the power of curiosity and creativity, and the importance and benefit of research.

Markle relates these rather complex ideas with straightforward language that is ideal for a middle school (or even late elementary) aged child, all in the format of a ‘scientific mystery': the observation that something is wrong with bats and the steps that were taken to try and discover what was causing the problem. Only then, with dedicated research and understanding can the problem be addressed, a mystery must be solved.

Apparently this book is part of an entire series, so I’ll have to look into the other titles offered. Although I could only look at this on a Kindle, the photos and illustrations are plentiful, bright, and well-done. I should note that given the topic of a deadly disease of bats, there are illustrations that may be considered ‘gross’ or ‘uncomfortable’. I appreciate the honesty that the text and photos show in just how awfully devastating disease can be for any organism and the price that must be paid to try and determine its cause and treat it. I also really appreciated the realistic images of scientists just simply doing their work in the lab, the latest equipment at hand.

This book is really a great opportunity to expose a child to the wonder of nature and the appeal of science. It makes complex, and perhaps even frightening realities accessible to children and may help inspire curiosity or dreams in a future scientific researcher.

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced electronic reading copy of this from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted at Reading1000Lives.com.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is a non fiction book for children by Sandra Markle. This book explores the brown bats remarkable decline in population, including the likely causes and the effect that this decline can have on our lives.

Are you among those that think of bats and shudder, or do you think they are cute or useful? Well The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats can show those that are not overly fond of bats why they might want to help them stick around. Bats eat a large number of bugs, limiting the amount of bugs that can spread diseases, and the amount of damage insects can to to crops and our food supply. Sadly large populations of little brown bats have been dying off each winter. Scientists have been hard at work to figure out if a virus killing them, if climate change or pesticides be the cause, or if it something else? This book follows a team of dedicated scientists working to save the little brown bats in this real-life science mystery. Thankfully, unlike the continuing death of bee colonies, there are now answers about what is hurting our bats and there are steps being taken to help them. There are suggestions for further research and ideas for families to help the cause.

I love bats, and the fact that they can decimate the mosquito population in no time flat. The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is a well researched and organized book that presents the facts of the investigation along with extra pieces of information that could be of great interest to middle grade readers. It is not sensationalized, but instead shows the steps of a scientific investigation and all of the possible causations and solutions, including those that turned out to be disproven. I think animal lovers will get something great out of this book, it could help some creeped out by the bat understand them a bit more, and will act as a credible resources for research.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandra Markle has the knack for writing about scientific concepts in an enjoyable narrative. Similar to her book on the vanishing honey bees, this book tells about the little brown bats and how scientists are trying to save them. It traces the story from the first realization that something was happening to the bat populations in northeastern caves, through the investigations and testing to identify the problem, and then goes into what scientists are doing now to combat the White-Nose Syndrome.

Each 2-page spread has either a full page illustration, or large illustrations on both pages. The photos bring the story to life and capture the reader's interest, as well as keeping the reader from being overwhelmed by nonstop text. I particularly like the map that shows where and when the WNS has been identified. It is easy to see how the problem has spread over time and readers can see if it has reached their area of the country. Other nice elements include captions for all photos, definitions of words within the text as well as in a glossary at the back of the book, a listing of books and websites for further information, and even a list of ways to help in your area and bat conservation groups to contact.

This would be a great book for anyone interested in wildlife - either studying the animals, conservation efforts, or related scientific fields. It would also be great to use in a classroom as an example of nonfiction/informational text and all the useful text features that help readers find the facts they need (table of contents, index, etc.). It could also be used with a unit on maps and how they serve as infographics to convey various types of information. However it is used for learning or recreational reading, it will be a winner.

I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Chelsea Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, "The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery," is all about bats, but this book is more aimed at finding out a mystery of why the little brown bats are dying off. In the book, the reader learns about how bats are important for both nature and people. They eat large amounts of insects, which could potentially cause serious damage to our crops if the bats weren't eating them. Insects also transmit harmful diseases, such as West Nile virus. If the number of insects is high, disease would be more easily spread. Scientists researched a various amount of potential hazards that the bats could be experiencing, causing the large amounts of deaths. They researched climate, pesticides, viruses, and the question behind why the bats weren't hibernating when they should have been hibernating. Scientist, Melissa Behr, had a feeling that the white fungus was killing off the bats. She couldn't get the fungus to her lab so she went to collect a sample for herself from a cave. She found bats with fuzzy white noses in the cave she visited. Something that was interesting was that bats in North America were dying from the fungus, but European bats weren't dying from the fungus. Scientists believe that the European bats must have been adapted to the white fungus.

The book was very informational when it comes to bats, their habitat, and the fungus that was killing off many bats in North America. I enjoyed the illustrations and the glossary available in the back of the book. Overall, I rated this book 4/5 because of how informational it was and that I know students would enjoy reading about this mystery dealing with bats.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle follows a group of scientists as they investigate the disappearance of the beloved brown bat population. This engaging mystery combines a well-researched narrative with high-quality color photographs.[return][return]Like her award-winning scientific mysteries focusing on golden frogs and honeybees in “The Case of the Vanishing…” series, this book focuses on a real-world investigation. The scientific aspects are made accessible through clear explanations and authentic examples.[return][return]The book’s layout will appeal to youth readers. Annotated photographs are useful for children who wish to skim the book before reading. Maps and labeled diagrams help readers visualize key concepts. Interesting questions are used as headings and subheadings to guide reading.[return][return]Additional resources provided by the author will be of particular interest to teachers and librarians. These include an author’s note, local/global efforts, glossary, digging deep information, and an index. In addition, the exemplary informational text would be useful in addressing the Common Core Curriculum.[return][return]While many library collections already have many “fact books” about bats, this book provides a unique, fresh perspective on the topic.[return][return]The combination of fascinating science with an engaging mystery are perfect of the target youth audience. [return][return]Learn more about Sandra Markle and her books at her blog at http://sandra-markle.blogspot.com/.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bats all over the world are so valuable to our environment, so when scientists checking on bats in caves in the state of New York found hundreds of dead bats, they knew they had an vital mystery to solve. Bats are important to nature and to people because of the insects they help control through eating, so when their numbers decrease, the number of insects that eat crops and carry harmful diseases increase. The story told by Sandra Merkle is clear, giving important background, and leading readers through the “chase” by scientists for answers to this newly discovered problem. There are different ways shown and explained of the ways the scientists worked, found answers, but not just the answers they suspected. Through persistence and constant hypothesizing, the disease in the bats was discovered. Now the next challenge is how to help the bats get the cure! The book is organized like many non-fiction books, with a Table of Contents, index and glossary, and adds further resources, too. For teachers wanting to help students understand the wonders of scientific inquiry, the book read aloud and studied will be valuable. For students who love reading non-fiction about different animals, it will be a fascinating adventure that shows lots of pictures of the bats, the scientists, and their procedures. Thanks to Net Galley and Lerner Publishing, I was able to read this, coming out Sep. 1st.

[Jacquelynn Ruot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery is about exactly that. the little brown bats were put onto the endangered species list due to a significant decrease in the amount of little brown bats. It was unknown what was causing all of these deaths so scientist began to perform research to find out the main cause of the deaths. The book talked about many different ideas that could have been the cause and it took a long time to really pin point what it was exactly. The research compared many factors including a fungus and freezing to death. In the end of the story, the research has found what they believe to be the main cause and how they plan to help the bats from extinction.

I rated this story a four, because I believe children would be interested in this book. It is a longer book, but it is like a mystery story from beginning to end. It goes through many different ideas and each one it explains why it wasn't the main cause then goes on to the next one. I think it would keep the children attention. I don't think that I would sit and read this book as a class in one setting because it has a lot of information in it and is a little long to sit still. I would either use this for specific sections or I would break up the story for a couple days or a week. Another way that I would use this would be if I was doing a project on an endangered animal and send a child to this book about bats.

[Brittany Creek · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats" is a book that is all about the little brown bats and how they were going extinct and disappearing at an alarming rate. There was almost an instant that they were going to be put on the endangered species list. This books goes on to give information about how bats are important because the bats eat the bugs that are killing crops and spreading horrible diseases. It's even more terrifying that the scientists don't completely know what was causing the deaths of these bats. There were many possibilities such as the pesticides, viruses, climate change. It took years, but finally the scientists figured out that it was actually a fungus that was nicknamed the white-nose syndrome that was killing off all the bats. When they've finally figured it out the scientists began working on a way of slowing down the spread of this fungus. It's now easier for the little brown bats to fight off the fungus and they are now able to have a higher chance of survival.

I rated this book 4 stars because the pictures in this book are breathtaking and beautiful and the information was very interesting. I enjoyed learning about the bats and what was going on with them and how they were disappearing. The reason I didn't rate it higher was mainly because of the accelerated word use and harder concepts for young children to understand. It would be interesting to use parts of it for a lesson though.

[Andrea Lorenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scientists in the Field nonfiction series for kids is one of my favorite set of books EVER. The stories are interesting, the pictures are bright and eye-catching, and it makes me interested in some of the weirdest science. Like frog science. Or tree kangaroo science. The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats isn't one of those books, but it doesn't follow the same formula. Markle takes the reader through the mystery of the little brown bat's slow demise and the attempt to save the species. The book pretty clearly follows the scientific method without being explicit (really, it could have been explicit considering the audience). My one beef with the writing is that I didn't know until the very end of the book that the problem with little brown bats is still on-going. Researchers still haven't quite found a way to prevent the little brown bats from getting white nose syndrome. I'm not sure if this was a deliberate style decision, but it bothered me to come to the end of the book and realize that the case remains still partially unsolved. Unlike other children's nonfiction books, this has a fabulous bibliography at the end for further reading. If you have little scientists at your house, this is one that I would highly recommend in addition to all of the Scientists in the Field books.

[Sails and Scales · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally published by The Children's Book and Media Review

This book explores the mystery of why little brown bats are disappearing and the problems their disappearance could cause. Because bats eat insects that do damage to crops and transmit diseases, bats are important to the ecosystem. Researchers learned that these bats were dying in large numbers in 2007, and since then they have tried to find out why they keep dying and why the bats were flying during the winter when they should have been hibernating. The book explores what hibernating bats need to survive, what the killers could possibly be, the process it took to find the killer, and the current work being done to try to save the bats.

This book is a good introduction to bats, the scientific process, and a few ways that animals could possibly go extinct. The back of the book has recommendations to help bats and a glossary to explain some of the more difficult vocabulary. The photographs of the bats help show the problems that these tiny creatures face. The way the book shows steps of a scientific investigation and possible causes, even the ones that turned out to be false, will please future scientists and other people interested in the scientific process.

[Meryem Alami · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is an exciting novel written by Sandra Markle.This story begins when a group of scientist went to check in bats for their population when one of the scientists saw some bats with fuzzy white noses.They also saw bats active where they should be hibernating and a lot of them dead on the ground.It was a mystery to them, so the team named other scientist and finally discovered that it was a disease.Every day the scientist start researching collecting data by checking the bat’s wings and cells.The disease was named Pd or Pseudogymnoascus destructans.Today, they are trying to find a microbe to kill this disease.

The problem is that the disease is starting to kill the bats which are starting to make the bats extinct.The good thing is that they discovered a chemical called Terbinafine.Terbinafine is actually used to treat athlete's foot and it also kills fungi.By trying to find ways, they put a healthy bat inside a cave that is infected with the disease.

My favorite part is when they found an antidote and some ways to prevent the disease from spreading.I didn’t have any least favorite parts and I would recommend this to all animal lovers.Especially the people who want to prevent cannibalism.

[Vermicious Knids · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with my 7-year old son. I think it may have been his first book detailing an exercise in scientific method. Although some of the vocabulary (I had to read the book to him) was beyond his comprehension level, with explanation, he was able to digest the premise of the book that I would think is best for a child a little older. Very illuminating for him to see how this mystery was unfolded with trial and error - and much perseverance. Honestly, as an adult, it was enjoyable to me (and informative) to read this with him discuss what we each thought about the different theories. I also enjoyed the glossary and further study suggestions. I downloaded the pdf file with the bat box instructions and hopefully we can build a box as a family activity. I appreciated that the pictures had little blurbs under them for explanation, though I think more pictures would have made the book better. Definitely a book that gets you involved and thinking.

Disclosure: I read a free copy of the ebook in return for my candid review. Be assured, it is honest, and I do not owe or know the author/publisher.

[Breanna Ninmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book as stated in the title is all about little brown bats and how they were almost put on the endangered species list. It talks about how bats are important to our ecosystem because they eat bugs, and bugs eat our crops and spread diseases which is not good! Scientists didn't know what was causing the deaths of these bats- was it climate change? Pesticides? Virus? Finally, scientists figured out what was causing all of the deaths- a fungus (nicknamed white-nose syndrome). Scientists are now working on slowing down the spread of the fungus, so that these little brown bats are better able to fight off the fungus and are able to survive.

This was really interesting to read and I learned a lot. I had heard of white-nose syndrome, but it was cool to get the facts on it. I liked that this was a short informational text.the photographs that are in this book, as it kept the reader's attention and helped to show what exactly was happening. I also think it is cool that in the back of the book there are more facts about these bats, ways to help your local bats, global efforts to help, and even a glossary.

[Stacey Burnett]

After reading this short book about the case of the little brown bats, I realized how little we think of bats. This book is scientific and non0fiction which means its full of information about wha happen to the bats. It starts off with a small introduction about bats. Then it goes into what is happening to them, the research that they do, what they discover, how sone treatments are working, and predictions about the future for bats. I really enjoyed the book because there are some much infromation, detailed pictures, a glossary, and helpful tips to use in your local area to help the bats. The term aknowledge used through the book is very academically high, but the author makes sure the definitons are explained and demonstrated through pictures. There was lot of research that went to this book and children will love reading about this because its something they do not know alot of about but bond in a book that keeps their attention.

[Luke Azzarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is an informational book with many facts about these bats. The book zooms in on many researchers and scientist, including Kate Langwing, Melissa Behr, DeeAnn Reeder, and many more about their findings of why these little brown bats were dying. Throughout this book, the reader will learn about the fungi that are being found on the noses of these bats and how it could be affecting them.

Before reading this book, I didn’t know hardly anything about little brown bats. After reading it, I learned all about the mystery that scientists have been trying to solve about why these bats were dying. I rated this book a five star because it did a great job of information the reader about the situation. The author also did a great job of placing images throughout the book. It gave me a better insight at what she was talking about. Overall I believe this book would be great to refer to a student that is interested in bats.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Spoilers Ahead**
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is a picture book that discusses the mystery of the Little Brown Bats that were put on the endangered species list due to a significant loss of them of unknown reasons. It was a mystery to specialists of how and why these small animals were dying off so quickly and in such large numbers. Scientists began to perform experiments and research to find out what was causing all these bats to suddenly die. The book went through many different obstacles to decide what was causing it until finally they figured it out. They found that when these bats would sleep in these caves a white fungus would form on their noses and that this was the main cause of death and extinction.

I chose to rate this book a four because although it was very informational and provided information in a more entertaining fashion to not only people of my age and younger it failed to grasp my attention for the entirety of the book.

[infoqueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little brown bats may not seem the most appealing subjects, but author Sandra Markle makes a complelling case for saving them. She establishes their importance to the ecosystem, and presents the mystery of their sudden mass deaths as a scientific mystery on the order of the colony collapse disorder of the honeybee. Markle lays out the complex steps of scientific inquiry and the process of elimination and diagnosis in concise, kid-friendly language.
The book is well-presented, with clearly captioned photographs, and the supplemental material at the back goes beyond the standard glossary and index to include resources for further research, and ways students can help save the bats at the local level.
A solid entry in narrative non-fiction, sure to appeal to animal lovers and budding environmental scientists alike.

[Emily Lanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is a nonfiction, informational book about the specific type of bat: the little brown bat. The book includes many interesting facts about these bats and how they help our ecosystem. The author explains how they are currently decreasing in population and are on the way to becoming extinct due to a fungus that grows on them. This book serves as a call to action to go out and help these bats.

I gave this book 5/5 stars because I learned a lot about the little brown bats. I also like how as a reader you felt like you were working along side the scientists trying to figure out what was killing the little brown bats. The book does a great job of teaching the reader about bats and persuading the reader to helps the bats. I would refer this to students interested in the sciences and interested in bats.

[Kaitlyn Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle is an informational book about a disease that some bats have been getting in the recent years which is killing them and causing them to nearly be put on the endangered species list. This puts more bugs into our ecosystem because there are not enough bats to eat them. The scientists were out to find out the cause of this awful white nose fungus and finally, they made the connections to solve the problem. Now, the spread and contraction of the fungus is much lower than in the past and more bats are surviving.
I gave this book 5 stars because I thought it was very informational and would be very interesting to some students because of the real life pictures. I would definitely use this book in my classroom during a science lesson about bats or fungi.

[Saba N Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never been into bats! But this mystery is one for home and school libraries.

The author does a great job of taking the reader on an adventure to unravel the mystery of the vanishing little brown bats. Very factual and detailed but not overwhelming with difficult or scientific words and text, so it is perfect for elementary kids. It is a great resource for learning about little brown bats and the dangers they face, highlighting the importance these seemingly small creatures for the environment and humans.

As a teacher, I appreciate the author's inclusion of a glossary, book and website suggestions for further learning experiences, little brown bat facts and ways we can help local and global bat populations.