Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night

by Rob Laidlaw

In Bat Citizens: Defending the Ninjas of the Night, animal activist and biologist Rob Laidlaw sheds light on these famously shadowy mammals, from their habits and habitats to their importance for maintaining biodiversity. Bat biology is explored alongside human-bat relations, and “Bat Citizens” highlight children who are model bat friends and global citizens.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Nature

48 pages, Hardcover

Published March 28, 2018

About the author

For more than thirty years, Rob Laidlaw has devoted his life to protecting animals. He is the founder of several animal protection organizations, including Zoocheck Canada, a wildlife protection group. He regularly speaks to groups of all ages about animal issues and how individuals can empower themselves to effect change. Rob resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little non-fiction book about some of my favorite mammals = bats. This is all about education. It’s very well done. Every other page highlighted a kid or teen who is doing something to educate the public in their area about bats. The book has a focus on kids and all the neat things you can do to support these misunderstood creatures. They aren’t blind and they don’t spread disease the way we say. They can spread disease like rabies, but it is a rare occurrence when that happens.

This is colorful and it has lots of chunks of information to keep the eye and interest going. The niece really enjoyed this book and thought they looked cute. I might have a little influence there as I love them so much. I miss my bat box. The nephew thought the bats look cool in a monster sort of way. He associates them with his monster shows, so win anyway. The nephew thought this was 3 stars and the niece gave this 4 stars.

Yeah, non-fiction and science books.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

With photographs of the subjects and their habitat as well as the youngsters who are involved in helping bats, this nonfiction title is a must for the science classroom library. Not only does the author provide interesting facts about this misunderstood species, but he also highlights several young folks who are trying to save them or challenge assumptions about them. For readers inspired by their example, there is even a list of 14 ways that they can do their part. One of my favorite parts of the book was the gatefold of a hoary bat that shows all of its body parts and explains how each one is used. There's even a glossary of terms provided. By the time readers finish reading this book, they just might have changed their minds about bats and want to help them survive or spread the word about bats actually help humans in many ways. Anyone who enjoyed Cat Champions: Caring for Our Feline Friends and No Shelter Here: Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs will be equally impressed by this title.

[Mrs. Melaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a fairly slim volume (48 p.), this contains so much information about bats! Taking a global perspective, Laidlaw presents details about a surprising number of the 1,300 species of bats that exist, including physical characteristics, habitats, raising their young, threats, and the benefits of preserving a healthy bat population. There are repeated calls to contribute to bat conservation efforts, and numerous examples are provided of young people, nicknamed “bat citizens”, who have already stepped up to help.

Every two-page spread contains text about bats, a box of “Bat Facts”, a profile of a young “bat citizen” and between four and eight photos. It is fascinating to see photos of so many different bats and the young people involved in saving them. End pages include lists of ways to help bats and bat conservation organizations, a glossary, and index.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit of a different take on the "ninjas of the night". Although about bats, obviously, each section highlights a "bat citizen" who is doing something in their corner of the world to help bats. Full of great bat (across species) information.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for young scientists interested to know what they can do to help bats or other animals they’re concerned about. It’s a nice blend of bat facts and profiles of real kids and teens who are doing something to help bats.

[Lisa Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Lots of information. Great pictures. And stories of kids going beyond to help our bat friends.

[Brooklyn || The Wild Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read & evaluated this book for the Vancouver Children's Round Table (VCLR)'s 2019 Information Book Award.

I really liked how this book wasn't just about bats, but about bats' relationships with the world and how children (& adults) can be activists for bats. There were some cool fold-out pages and there were lots of photographs and call-out boxes that made digesting the information more fun. I was also impressed with the amount of back matter which included ways to help protect bats' habitats, and a list of organizations that advocate for bats.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I was still in charge of a library, I would grab up a copy of this book in a heartbeat. Maybe even two. It educates readers about many aspects and species of bats. It highlights young bat activists who work in many different ways to ensure the survival of bats. I like the layout of the pages, with plenty of captioned photographs, large titles and heading, headings, maps, and inserts with bat facts. The back matter includes a page of information for how to help bats and another on organizations that help them. It also has a glossary and index.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and informative look at bats, particularly focusing on the conservation aspect of these endangered species. There are a number of inspiring profiles of "bat citizens" - children and teens who work in their communities to help maintain the existence of bats by advocating for them. This is short enough for casual readers but informative enough to satisfy die-hard fans.

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a non-fiction book for older elementary students & middle grade students. There is information about bats, info about threats to bat survival, info about bat conservation efforts, and spotlights about children and teens who are volunteering to protect bats. Good for kids who love science & animals - especially bats!

[Mike Broderick · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like non fiction and learning, this book was great. It was laid out well, it had a ton of information. Equally important are the sections, headings and short bursts of information that had clear spots where you can stop and come back to. Well done!

[Brenda Kahn]

Jam-packed with information about bats and stories of young citizen scientists. It's a bit cluttered and not all the pictures are of the highest quality. Backmatter lists ways we can help bats and organizations to check out on the web but no source notes or bibliography.