Little Brown Bats

This book has a cute title, but readers’ squee factor will vary based on their tolerance for spiny claws, leathery wings, and big, happy faces. (All right, the faces are rather adorable.) This slim volume in the In Winter, Where Do They Go? series uses each two-page spread, dominated by a giant color photo, to tell a simple story of a brown bat that finishes with its autumn foraging (“Its furry body is fat”), finds a nice cave, bundles together with other bats for warmth, and licks water from the walls and its fur for the entire winter. Smaller insert photos are captioned with supporting facts (“Thousands of bats may use the same cave”), and the combination makes for a nice one-two punch. The mix of epic wide shots and unnerving close-ups should keep young bat-fans on their toes.