Thank you to Dorling Kindersley for sending me this book to review. For instance, I had no idea that there are over 1,300 species of bat or that some bats are so small that they can roost in the hollow stems of bamboo! Bats really are extraordinary creatures and this is an extraordinary book. I’ve learnt so much reading The Bat Book. The Bat Book is beautiful many of the book’s spreads are stunning. Charlotte’s bright, bold illustrations will really appeal to younger readers. The page layout is superb – diagrams, labels, tables, captions, fact boxes and lists make it very easy and enjoyable to navigate the information. The explanation of how echolocation works is particularly brilliant. The Bat Book is extremely accessible and very visually appealing. Charlotte shows us bats with style (some bats have spiky hair), bats with funny faces, and cute bumblebee bats whose bodies are about the size of a large bee. I really liked all the extra slightly funny bits of information too. We learn why bat numbers are on the decline and what we can do to help them – I’m definitely going to have a go at making and planting seed balls to grow bat-friendly flowers. Charlotte also outlines the crucial work that bats do in terms of pollination, seed dispersal and pest control. The book’s scope is broad, covering a wide variety of information, from what bats look like to where they live, how they hunt, what they eat, and why they hang upside down. The Bat Book has changed all that it’s packed full of fascinating bat facts. My knowledge of them was very limited and I certainly didn’t realise just what an important environmental role they play. I’ll admit to never giving much thought to bats before I read this book. Q&A with author of The Bat Book Charlotte Milner.The Bat Book is third in a series of animal books which highlight important ecological issues (Charlotte has previously written and illustrated The Bee Book and The Sea Book). Thanks to Charlotte Milner for your time and answers. Her responses tell us not only about bats but about her approach to nature writing. I was lucky enough to be given a chance to put some questions to author and illustrator Charlotte Milner.

The bold, close-up pictures make it easy to visualise the topic in question. With pages divided into short sections – the text is in chunks from a couple of simple sentences to a paragraph – this book is perfect for less confident readers, and for children under 7. A helpful section at the back advises readers on how to keep a bat-friendly garden. Additionally, it is informative about the threat bats face today from deforestation, demolition of old buildings, and pesticides. This fantastic volume answers every question a reader could have about bats. What is a bat? What do bats look like, and what do they eat, and how do they fly? Whereabouts in the world do bats live? Blog Tour: Q&A with author of The Bat Book Charlotte Milner.

The Bat Book by Charlotte Milner