Amara and the Bats

by Emma Reynolds, Emma Reynolds (Illustrator)

Overview

Environmental activism gets a nocturnal twist in this utterly charming picture book about a young girl and her mission to save the bats!

Amara loves bats! Her favorite thing to do is to collect bat facts and watch the amazing mammals fly at night by her house. But when Amara moves to a new town, she learns that her beloved bats no longer roost nearby because so many trees are being cut down.

Amara is upset. What can she do to help? She’s just one person, and the problem feels so much bigger than her. But after doing some research, she discovers that there are many young people making big changes all around the world. Inspired to take action, Amara gathers her new friends to help save the bats. Together, she knows they can make a difference!

Emma Reynolds crafts an inspiring story about community action, perseverance, and what to do in the face of climate anxiety. At its heart, this is a story about hope and finding a place to call home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534469013
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	07/20/2021
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	269,889
Product dimensions:	9.60(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD820L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Emma Reynolds is an illustrator and author based in Manchester, UK. Amara and the Bats is her author-illustrator debut. Passionate about storytelling and creating unique characters, Emma has been dreaming of making her own books since she was five. Emma started the #KidLit4Climate illustrated campaign, bringing together thousands of children’s illustrators and authors from more than fifty countries in solidarity with the youth climate strikes. She is inspired by nature, animals, adventure, and seeing the magic in the everyday. Visit her at EmmaReynoldsIllustration.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @EmmaIllustrate.

Emma Reynolds is an illustrator and author based in Manchester, UK. Amara and the Bats is her author-illustrator debut. Passionate about storytelling and creating unique characters, Emma has been dreaming of making her own books since she was five. Emma started the #KidLit4Climate illustrated campaign, bringing together thousands of children’s illustrators and authors from more than fifty countries in solidarity with the youth climate strikes. She is inspired by nature, animals, adventure, and seeing the magic in the everyday. Visit her at EmmaReynoldsIllustration.com. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @EmmaIllustrate.

Editorial Reviews

This is such a phenomenal book.

Jerome Foster II

"Amara and the Bats is an uplifting picture book about how one person’s actions can make a BIG difference."

Emma Perry – author (I Don’t Like Books. Never. Ever. The End. and This Book Has Alpacas

"Clearly defined facts appear throughout this encouraging book and give children concrete ideas to champion their own passions...The story busts myths and shows what curiosity and research can do for children."

3/10/2022 - Horn Book Magazine

* "Amara's unabashed loved for bats will help challenge preconceived notions about the often-misunderstood animals, and even though this is fiction, it contains great reference content, including nicely labeled illustrations of identifiable species of bat. . . . An inviting and informative picture about wildlife conservation that might inspire kids to take action in their own communities."

Starred Review Booklist

We need more books like this.

Arshak Makichyan

"Amara and the Bats is an uplifting picture book about how one person’s actions can make a BIG difference."

Emma Perry – author (I Don’t Like Books. Never. Ever. The End. and This Book Has Alpacas

2021-05-19
A girl is moved by her love for bats—unique, increasingly endangered, and unfairly vilified creatures.

Amara’s love for bats began when one was rescued from the attic of her old home. When Amara, her single mom, and her older brother, Samir, move, she cannot wait to see the bats of her new town. To her disappointment, none show up at dusk. She learns about habitat loss from a park ranger and also reads in a magazine about children taking action to protect wildlife and the environment around them. Amara decides to do the same and, together with new school friends, campaigns to create a natural reserve for bats in the park. Even after it’s established, the bats do not come for a long, long time, but Amara tries to stay brave and hopeful. At last, there is good news. The book is illustrated with child-friendly cartoons that help readers see bats as Amara does, and it’s full of informative, fun, and engaging messages about bats, such as what it takes for them to thrive and the food chains they’re part of. The community is diverse; one adult wears a headscarf, and one child uses a wheelchair. Amara and her family have light-brown skin and dark hair. The story is followed by several well-designed pages full of bat-related facts and suggestions for protecting them. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A captivating book about nature, bats, and environmental activism. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews