Owl Bat Bat Owl

by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick (Illustrator)

Overview

Can two very different families find their space in the world together? A wonderful wordless picture book offers stylish art, humor, and charm.

A mother owl and her three little owlets live happily on their branch. That is, until the bat family moves in. The newfound neighbors (owls up top, bats hanging below) can’t help but feel a little wary of one another. But babies are curious little creatures, and that curiosity, along with a wild, stormy night, might just bring these two families together. With subtly and hilariously shifting facial expressions and gestures, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick brings her accessible graphic style to a warm and ingenious wordless tale that is sure to bring smiles to readers of all ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763691615
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	06/13/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	372,420
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick is a Dublin-born, award-winning author-illustrator who has been published in more than fifteen countries. Her picture books include The New Kid and There, which was named an Eric Carle Museum Best Book of the Year and a Bisto Book of the Year. Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick lives in Ireland with her husband, author-illustrator Michael Emberley.

Editorial Reviews

10/01/2017
K-Gr 2—In this charming wordless tale, a family of snoozing owls quietly perch on top of a branch until a family of bats arrive and hang directly below them on the same branch, interrupting the owls' slumber. The now grumpy adult owl makes the little owls move over. Peace is briefly restored, until one of the little owls' curiosity wins and it joins the bats on the underside of the branch. The adult owl retrieves the miscreant, but a sudden wind storm scatters everyone, including the bat family. As the worried adults spring into action, they end up rescuing each other's youngsters and realizing that they might not be so different after all. Ultimately, the parents look on as the little bats and owls play together in the moonlight. Nearly full-page digital illustrations are laid out against a white background, creating a zoomed-in comic panel effect. The color of the sky changes from light blue to dark, with the moon slowly emerging. Fitzpatrick's cartoon animals are cute and funny but very expressive. VERDICT A warm and clever tale celebrating tolerance and friendship. Best shared one-on-one or with a small group.—Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

School Library Journal

This is a delightful picture book for children...the book offers parents a powerful opportunity to teach children about tolerance and getting along with others.
—National Speleological Society News

In this charming wordless tale, a family of snoozing owls quietly perch on top of a branch until a family of bats arrive and hang directly below them on the same branch, interrupting the owls’ slumber...A warm and clever tale celebrating tolerance and friendship. Best shared one-on-one or with a small group.
—School Library Journal

In this tender wordless tale, two nocturnal animal families look for a few extra winks before moonrise—and inadvertently find new friends...Successful characterization is achieved through subtle shifts in body language and the owls’ large, expressive eyes. Readers will want to regularly flip the book upside-down for the bat family’s perspective.
—The Horn Book

From the Publisher