A Boy Called Bat

Hello, sometimes-friendly neighborhood autistic person here!

This is an adorable, humanizing, and mostly-accurate representation of an autistic third-grader protagonist. Even though the author is non-autistic, it’s clear that she did a lot of research from autistic people and didn’t fall into many of the tropes so common in media with autistic characters- Bat isn’t reduced to a list of behaviors or a caricature of the DSM criteria, he’s portrayed as a fully dynamic character rather than an emotionless math savant with no understanding of what a relationship is, and the narrative actually centers on Bat’s experience of the world and not the perceived struggles of his family. Most importantly, Bat is given space to just be a show more happy kid living his life- it’s obvious that he faces challenges from living in a world not built for him, but his daily life is portrayed as joyful if not sometimes annoying, rather than the tragedy narrative the autism industrial complex wants to have us believe.

I especially like the ending- it doesn’t frame “becoming less autistic” or “learning ‘social skills’” or “disassociating from special interests” as positive character development, like we see in so many autism narratives. Rather, the resolution of the story is Bat’s sister being nicer to him, Bat getting to keep the skunk for a bit longer, and him making a friend to share his special interests with.

My one critique was that the words “autism” or “autistic” weren’t mentioned at all. I think it’s definitely important that representation is explicit, in a society that devalues all ways of existing that don’t conform to the ablenormative capitalist mold. Especially in children’s literature- if it’s taboo to say that a certain character is autistic, are we really destigmatizing it for kids, or are we simply teaching that social “weirdness” is fine as long as it’s not given a name?

Overall tho, I really enjoyed this and am excited to read the second book, which I hope is more explicit about Bat’s neurology. show less

First sentence: Bixby Alexander Tam stared into the refrigerator, trying to decide what to eat. He knew that the longer he took, the more energy he was wasting, and Bixby Alexander Tam did not like to waste energy. But he also didn't like to eat leftovers, or cheese that had to be sliced, or any of the yogurt flavors in the fridge.

Premise/plot: Bat (Bixby Alexander Tam) is having a not-so-great day. In fact, he's on the verge of a meltdown. His day begins to improve when his mom--an animal rescuer presumably--brings home a newborn baby skunk. BAT is super-excited to take care of it. He loves animals and animal facts. As the days and weeks pass, Bat becomes bonded. Can they keep the baby skunk as their forever pet? Or will they have to show more let him go to another rescue/refuge center?

My thoughts: Bat is in an interesting character. I do believe he is on the spectrum. Everything about this one felt authentic--his relationships with his mom, his dad, his sister, his teacher, classmates, etc. I loved the ending. Nothing is tied neatly in a bow, but there is potential--great potential for Bat to be in a good, happy and healthy place.

My sister recommended this one to me. She thought I would find Bat relatable. I did, I really did!!! So I'm very glad I checked this one out from the library. show less

When Bat's veterinarian mother brings home a newborn skunk kit, Bat immediately falls in love, while his older sister Janie complains that skunks are stinky. Bat begs his mom to let them keep the skunk instead of handing it over to the wild animal rescue operation, and he even writes to a world skunk expert to make his case. Bat is a unique individual who displays autistic behaviors (flaps arms/hands when excited, dislikes loud noise, likes routine); he attends a private school, where his teacher, Mr. Grayson, is mostly understanding. Another student in Bat's class makes overtures of friendship, which Bat at first doesn't recognize, but the two end up bonding over their affection for Thor and interest in skunks in general; the story show more ends on a sweet note. Sequel(s) to follow.

See also: Lety Out Loud by Angela Cervantes; The Misadventures of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty show less

"Getting along with people was hard for Bat. Figuring out what they meant when they said something, or when they made certain faces at him... People were complicated." Luckily, Bat has a new skunk kit in his life to nurture- and the class pet Babycakes. Bat (an acronym first initials) is a kid who loves animals, has difficulty in social settings, is sensitive to taste, texture, and touch, and does not like to have his patterns disturbed. While the description on the back of the book mentions that Bat is autistic, one thing I love about the author's telling of Bat's story is that his diagnosis is not overtly discussed in this book. This leaves space for kids to make their own connections and understanding of his behaviors and feelings. show more This is a fantastic transitional chapter book, with enjoyable, believable characters and plot details. I am excited to read the rest of this series. show less

This was one of the best books with an autistic character that I've read! The fact that Bat is autistic is never explicitly mentioned which worked very well. It doesn't focused on his symptoms or his lack of friends, or therapy, his quirks and experiences are all just a part of the story and a part of him. The book is a fun, well-written read that I wish I'd had as a 3rd/4th grader. #actuallyautstic

A young boy really wants to keep the skunk kit he discovers, despite his mother's objections.

I read this book over a year ago and forgot to write a review of it so this one won't be particularly good. I remember really wanting to read this book for years once it came out but never getting around to it for various reasons. Once I finally got to it, I was disappointed. I found the main character to be kind of obnoxious -- I'm not sure if maybe listening to the audiobook's narrator did that or if it's the way the character was written. I understand he was meant to be neurodivergent, but I didn't think this was a great portrayal of that in my humble opinion. I felt like he came across as bratty, which is unlike any neurodivergent child I've show more interacted with over the years.

The book was okay enough overall, but not enough for me to want to continue on with the series. show less

From the moment you come into this book and see that Bat is autistic, withdrawn, and curled in on yourself, you can get a real feel for his character. He's shy, he's unaware of others or their feelings. He likes certain touches, feelings, textures, and actions, he doesn't quite care about others or others feelings. It's clear he's got a long way to go and lots of time to grow.

Then in comes Thor, a baby skunk, and Bat is going to learn how to care for others and socialize better. He has to learn mannerisms and behavior, all with a shallow threat of the ticking clock. From a mile away you know he's going to keep this baby skunk. If not for book logic, than for actual real life reasons. Rescues are rarely released when they need so much show more intensive care. Often they are kept and raised by humans for their whole life, human exposure cannot prepare them for the wild and often makes them more at risk of being hurt.

This series is amazing, predictable and very blatant with where the plot will end each book, but it's good. It's a good book for teaching kids every animal has different requirements and if they ever want an exotic pet, they will have to work harder than they would with another one.

Skunks have been pets for decades and are wonderful animals, albeit near-sighted. This book leaves a lot to take away from it, and doesn't avoid addressing how complicated animal care can be or time consuming.

4.5 stars. show less