A Boy Called Bat

By: Elana K. Arnold

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Length: 2 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

The first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum, from acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold and with illustrations by Charles Santoso.

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

"This sweet and thoughtful novel chronicles Bat’s experiences and challenges at school with friends and teachers and at home with his sister and divorced parents. Approachable for younger or reluctant readers while still delivering a powerful and thoughtful story" (from the review by Brightly.com, which named A Boy Called Bat a best book of 2017).

©2017 Elana K. Arnold (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

A good read.

This is a story of a young man who loves animals. What makes it a special story is that "Bat", the main character, has autism. His autism is never directly addressed or discussed, it is just part of who he is. The extra interesting part is that the story is being told from Bat's point of view. You experience his thoughts and reactions to the world going on around him. This book is an opportunity for those who are not on the spectrum to catch a glimpse of the internal world of someone who is. Also an opportunity for those on the spectrum to meet a character that they may identify with.

2 people found this helpful

animal lover w/ a spectrum disability makes heartwarming read for all ages!

I read this a few years back and just listened to it. Patrick Lawlor does a fantastic job conveying Bat’s spectrum disability in a believable and respectful manner. Highly recommend grades 1-5.

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful book

What a great book that helps neurotypical children (and adults) better understand kids who are on the spectrum, without treating them with pity or as "others." The story provided a great jumping off point to discuss how autistic children see the world differently and the challenges this can present for them, as well as how it makes them special. A quick listen that my first grade daughter and I both loved.

1 person found this helpful

AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it was a great story, and the performance was pretty good. i thought it was a really good price too. overall it was really good!

wonderful book.

loved it. interesting little story. I think most kids would enjoy it. as an adult I enjoyed

The best book!!!👍🏿😃💃🏼🕺🏽👑

I love the book 📚 but he has to do so much for school work so I'm just going to be the first to say that I'm not even going to bed at all because I'm so happy for the rest it's helped me. Keep it up and stay on the same page and keep the book going on the way.

My Son Loved It

My son really loved this story. The only thing was that he felt confused about the ending and asked if there was a sequel or a chapter missing. I need to listen to it with him again and see if I can clarify. Otherwise he was really into it and kept stopping it to tell me what was happening.

Excellent Bedtime Reader

My grandson loved this book. Very well done. It kept his interest throughout the story.

"Again, again" my five year old

This years global read-a-loud, A Boy Called Bat, was a great read. My five year old can't wait for the next book in the series, in the mean time she wants to listen to the book again. I hope the audio book comes out soon.

What a difference perspectives make!

This is an endearing story that gives insight into the mind and perspective of a child who has a different way of processing the world and the sensory input he receives. I like how it explains why he responds the way he does and about how things make him feel. Working with students, it was fun to see inside his mind and walk a mile in his shoes too give me insight as to how some of my students perceive the world. I recommend this sweet and endearing story.

Ok for very young kids

What disappointed you about A Boy Called Bat?

Not really any humor

Has A Boy Called Bat put you off other books in this genre?

I will need to search harder for book for my children

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narration was ok but took a while to warm to the voice

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from A Boy Called Bat?

The story never really went anywhere

Any additional comments?

I was looking for a book for a car journey so needed to be child friendly for my kids.
This book just seems to exist and not do anything - it is simply a story, quite boring infact