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Bat's Big Game
by Eugenia Nobati (Illustrator: Margaret Read MacDonald)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (2008-04-01)
ISBN: 0807505870
EAN: 9780807505878
Dewey Decimal #: 398.2
Binding/Media: Hardcover - 32 pages
Reading Level: All Ages
Release Date: 2008-03-01
SKU: 06722
Condition: Used: Like New
Comments: Minor shelf wear.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
(Ages: 5-8) The Animals and Birds are getting ready for the big game. Bat wants to WIN WIN WIN-which team will he play on? The Animals look strong and fast, so Bat picks that side. A bat has fur and teeth, after all. But when the Animals fall behind, Bat switches to the Bird team-doesn't a bat have wings? Maybe the Birds will win! Silly Bat learns a lesson about team spirit in this lively tale retold by renowned storyteller Margaret Read MacDonald. Artist Eugenia Nobati's animals add plenty of style and fun. The author lives in Washington State; the illustrator lives in Argentina.
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Customer Reviews
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Book Review: Bat's Big Game
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-07-24
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Author of aught seven standout "Little Rooster's Diamond Button" is back with this retelling of an all too common schoolyard occurrence: switching teams when losing looks eminent. "Bat's Big Game" will be a nice addition to teacher's collections and will work well as a classroom read aloud.
Bat is anxious to take part in the Birds vs. Animals soccer game. The thing is, Bat wants to be on the winning side. He sizes up each team, decides that the Animals have it in the bag, and joins their side. It helps that bat straddles the line between the two species - the wings of a bird, but also the fur and teeth of animals. When Team Animal falls behind on the scoreboard, Bat makes a switch to the other team. The birds accept him but the animals go on a scoring tear, nudging ahead in goals. When Bat tries to trade sides again, the jig is up and he is banned from both squads. Lesson learned and price paid, Bat sulks off to practice his skills for next time.
As I was reading, I couldn't help but think this question: why is the soccer game birds vs. animals and not birds vs. mammals? After all, aren't birds animals too? Maybe there's a good reason for this, but it struck me as odd.
Eugenia Nobati's digital illustrations continue to blur lines between paper/canvas and computer artwork. I would have placed a wager that these were the former. Solid nonetheless. If I asked 10 random folks the first word that came to their mind when they looked at the illustrations in "Bat's Big Game", I'm guessing "cute" would be response numero uno. Softly textured characters exist within a world of slightly hazy, vague landscapes. If you know Rob Scotton's work on the "Russel the Sheep" books, then you can get a sense of the style.
"Bat's Big Game" is more of a "serves a purpose" book than a pure "just for the fun of it" story, but it fills it's role of addressing schoolyard mischief with success.
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