Fiona the Fruit Bat

by Dan Riskin, Rachel Qiuqi (Illustrator)

Overview

A sweet, fun, and informative picture book about bat echolocation for kids 3-7. Written by a scientist who works with bats in his everyday life!

It's time for Fiona the fruit bat to take her very first flight, but she's scared. How will she fly when she can't see in the dark? Mama just says, "listen." But how will listening help her to see? Then she hears a mysterious sound from deep in her cave. To find out what's making that noise—and to finally fly—Fiona will have to unlock a secret hidden inside herself.

Written by biologist and bestselling author Dan Riskin, and rooted in the real-life biology of short-tailed fruit bats, this adorable story features:

• The fascinating science behind echolocation, including backmatter pages with information on fruit bats from the author.
• A comforting message to help kids scared of the dark: Alongside Fiona, they'll learn there's nothing to be scared of!
• A celebration of self-confidence and independence: Shows readers the amazing things they can accomplish all on their own.

Accompanied by delightful illustrations from Rachel Qiuqi, Fiona the Fruit Bat is a touching tale about overcoming the fear of new experiences and finding the courage to listen to your own voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781771647854
Publisher:	Greystone Books
Publication date:	09/13/2022
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Dan Riskin is obsessed with bats, and has spent decades researching the biomechanics of how bats move. Dan’s first book, Mother Nature is Trying to Kill You was a Canadian bestseller. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Shelby, and their three kids. This is his first picture book.

Rachel Qiuqii is an illustrator and author passionate about storytelling for children. She started drawing when she was little and has been drawing with the same naivete to this day. Rachel was born in Shanghai and now lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Editorial Reviews

"A worthy purchase where bat collections are looking for a refresh."
—School Library Journal

"For kids who love stories about animals, this book truly delivers story and understanding."
—Youth Services Book Review

"Bats are so much more than Halloween symbols, as environmental biologist Dan Riskin makes clear…... Riskin interweaves intriguing facts about fruit bats and an easy-to-understand explanation of echolocation into an engaging tale... inspires youngsters to a greater curiosity and understanding about bats."
—Washington Parent

"Mesmerizing."
—Imagination Soup


Praise for Mother Nature is Trying to Kill You written by Dan Riskin

A Globe & Mail Bestseller and a Toronto Star Bestseller.

Featured in a one-hour special for the Canadian Discovery Channel.

"A fact-filled and amusing trek through nature's dark side that adroitly combines learning and the yuck factor."
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2022-07-13
A young bat takes her first few flaps of independence.

It’s time for Fiona’s first flight. But she doesn’t feel ready. Her mother offers a few words of advice—“remember…LISTEN”—before flying out of the cave, leaving Fiona alone. The familiar sounds Fiona hears in her immediate environment (“Bibble-babble-bubble,” “SPLAT SPLAT SPLAT,” “takka-takka-tik”) make her feel safe. But she’s still reluctant to let go and fly. Her friend Cassie shows up, smelling of an intriguing fruit, and her mother returns for a quick cuddle, but Fiona still feels too frightened to fly. When a frustrated Fiona lets out a cry, its echo begins to make “a shape appear in her mind.” Soon she is able to recognize shapes as the sounds return to her, and she confidently takes flight. The full-bleed art depicts the sounds as squiggles at first and then bubbles that bounce back to Fiona, informing her about her surroundings. Biologist Riskin imbues Fiona with human feelings of confusion, worry, fear, and grumpiness; still, the anthropomorphism encourages an empathetic connection with the wild creature, helps young readers to understand echolocation, and buoys little ones encountering their own obstacles. A more extensive explanation of echolocation follows the story along with a brief introduction to short-tailed fruit bats (Fiona’s species). (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A simple explanation of how bats use reflected sound—plus a reassuring take on navigating new challenges. (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews