Bats at the Beach (A Bat Book)

As I write this review, the world is in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. I work in health & human services so I'm still reporting to work, but my husband and son are home "sheltering in place'' as directed. It's stressful. It's weird. It's scary.

These are the times when children's books are magical escapes. I love the innocent, cute stories...the artwork....the loveliness of a story written for children. Even at 51 years old, I can still absolutely adore a happy, simple story! :)

I checked out both the print and audio book for this title from my local library (kudos to libraries who have increased their digital catalogs, online services and checkout limits to help everyone through this tough time). I just felt the need to have a book show more read to me! :) And -- I LOVED IT!!! It was like library story hour for grandma tonight. :) A cup of coffee and a good story -- just what I needed!

This story is so cute! Night falls....and bats all make their way to the beach to have fun in the moonlight! The artwork is wonderful! This would be a fun story to read in a classroom setting or at home. The art and rhyming text will definitely keep kids' attention!

The audio book version of this story is about 6.5 minutes long. Narrated by Chris Sorensen, the audio would be a great way for kids to have the book read to them, or combined with the physical book so early readers can follow along. Sorensen reads with great energy. Definitely an entertaining listening experience! show less

First of all, the illustrations are amazing. The bats look realistic, and they make me want to reach into the book and hold them! The images of the bats while setting up their umbrellas and towels on the beach are adorable. This book shows exactly what a human family would do at the beach but in the form of bats. The rhyming in this book was a great touch, I feel like watching the bats play their beach games and reading the rhyming words made it seem like a music video! It honestly was a great book, and if my students were to learn about bats in science, this would be number one on my read aloud list!

The quintessential family trip to the beach gets a batty spin in Brian Lies’ Bats at the Beach. The same group of bats from Bats at the Library return, only this time they are taking a trip to the beach, where they partake in all of the activities that are normal for humans—with a few twists. The bats pack up everything from the beach umbrellas to their banjos, and fly to the ocean. Once there, they play with objects left behind by humans (such as using straws as pretend swords), bury each other in sand, make friends with other bats visiting the beach, and take turns “being” kites. Older bats bask in the glow of the moon, and there is even a picnic complete with all sorts of bat-appropriate foods, such as “bug-mallows.” The show more poetic prose also warns not to forget the “moon-tan lotion.”
Lies also illustrated this playful beach party, and no detail gets past him. The bats look amazingly small compared to the human elements of the illustrations, giving us the bats’ point of view. There are also such details as a bag of “Skeeter Krisps” and miniature banjo cases. The bats are adorable, yet realistic enough that readers would not be shocked if they went to see the real thing at a zoo. Lies also fits in a couple other species of bats in this installment of his series, and they also have the appropriate look. Children will find themselves agreeing with the bats when they say, “How delicious—oh, how sweet, to feel the sand beneath our feet.” A perfect read for having a conversation about what to do on a trip to the beach, or to read at the beach itself, Bats at the Beach is recommended for grades Pre-K-4. show less

The rhyming text works although it's nothing next to these extraordinary illustrations. Lies does a nice job making it look like night while also giving us pictures we can see -- and these are the sorts of pictures we want to see. There are lots of wonderful details and moments, my favorite being the bat with chattering teeth and his wings wraped round because the water's so cold. Nice.

Yet another laugh out loud book with the story line of bats awakening and heading to the beach. The highly creative illustrations, with a rhyming tale of dipping in the ocean, roasting cricket filled marshmallows, and the delivery of various crunchy critters to consume, simply is delightful and joyous to behold.

(Easy picture book, poetic verse)Bat families and bat friends anxiously await for night to come so they can take off to the beach for a night of adventure together. The bats partake in human activities such as picnicking on the beach, singing around a bonfire, flying kites, and burying each other in the sand. This book was fun to read and the children, as I, loved the illustrations. Much imaginative talk ensued when I pointed out to the children the things the bats were doing on the beach. They especially loved when I verbalized details to them in the drawings,as there is much going on in the illustrations. They were especially intrigued by the idea of the bats using "moon-tan" lotion and hanging out at the "snack bar" (an illuminated show more bulb that attracted many insects to nosh on). The flow of the text lends itself to a fast-paced read that brought smiles to the children's faces. show less

NY Times Children's bestseller. Ivy League-educated Brian Lies is a better illustrator than rhymer. And I liked the notion of "moon-tan lotion." I think Michael Reiss's How Murray Saved Christmas is better, unless of course, bats are your thing.