I'm Not Scary

May 17, 2024

PreS-Gr 1-A cute, little bat strikes fear in the hearts of his fellow forest creatures as he flies by their windows at night, casting monster-like shadows. Finally, Beattie the bear stumbles upon Bat's cozy home in a "gnarly old oak tree" and realizes he is just a pastry-loving animal who wants to make friends. The message of the book is not new, but it is sweet nonetheless. Adorable illustrations depict an endearing, fluffy brown bat and other cute forest animals within a cozy forest adorned with warm tones. The flow of the words through the pages and several full spreads break up the layout and add slight drama to the story arc, though in reality, there is no peril to be found. VERDICT While the book adds nothing new to the canon, it is a gentle story that young readers will enjoy. Recommended for large picture book collections.-Clara Hendrickst

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 17, 2024
Looks are definitely deceiving in Kaduji’s warmhearted debut about a lonely little bat who can’t dispel the shadow-based misperception that he’s a scary monster who eats bears for breakfast. If only the other animals would venture deep into the forest to Bat’s gnarly old oak tree home, they’d discover that breakfast actually involves a spread of tasty delights that mild-mannered Bat bakes “for visitors that never came.” When little bear Beattie’s zealous fall foraging lands her at the gnarly tree, she winds up with a caring new pal—and fresh-baked apple pie. And the friends who come to Beattie’s rescue are similarly surprised by Bat’s kindness and culinary skills. An autumn palette of warm browns and oranges appears alongside cooler purple-blue nighttime shadows in the soft-edged images. Readers will find it hard to resist the expressive wide-eyed faces of the animal cast—and may find themselves hankering for cake. Ages 3–5.