Starred Review ALA Booklist (Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

Starred Review Reynolds helps readers explore fun bat facts through a girl's fascination with the flying mammals. It all begins with rescuing a bat in her attic, which awakens her interest so much that when she moves to a new town, she is determined to attract bats by helping to make the local park more bat friendly. To accomplish her goal, Amara joins an environmental club at her new school, and together they raise funds, build awareness, and recruit volunteers to help with their plan. Together with the park rangers, the kids and their adults build a wildlife reserve, which ultimately attracts bats back to the park, giving Amara "the best feeling in the world." Amara's unabashed love 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. Amara's favorite facts appear at the end of the book, covering a wide range of information on bats such as different species, echolocation, bats' role in seed spreading, and building or installing bat houses to give the creatures a safe place to roost. Additional website sources are provided for further research. An inviting and informative picture book about wildlife conservation that might inspire kids to take action in their own communities.

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

Amara, a bubbly, brown-skinned girl, "really loves bats." She absorbs facts about them, which she eagerly shares with her mother and brother, before, during, and after spending time together observing bats near their home. When her family moves to a new house near a park, Amara can't wait to see the bats there. But there aren't any due to deforestation and habitat displacement. Amara's disappointment is quelled by reading about young people who have made a difference in their community, and she decides that she can, too. With her new school friends, she creates a nature reserve, and eventually bats return to the area, much to Amara's delight. Clearly defined facts appear throughout this encouraging book and give children concrete ideas to champion their own passions. The digital illustrations feature warm oranges and cool blues; as the children work together, robust greens highlight the changes to the park's environment. Back matter includes "Amara's Bat Facts," "How Echolocation Works," and tips for observing bats. The story busts myths and shows what curiosity and research can do for children.

Kirkus Reviews

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)