Synopsis
At an abandoned outdoor movie theater, fifty-five bats perform in a toe-tapping, wing-flapping revue--and await the grand finale.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1996-08-01 | | Illustrator: | Melissa Sweet |
| Size | | Height: | 10.5 in | | Width: | 10.5 in | | Thickness: | 0.2 in | | Weight: | 14.4 oz |
Publisher's Note
The Bat Jamboree was held early this year, at the old drive-in movie not too far from here. It was standing room only as the houselights went down. The spotlight came up -- there wasn't a sound! Then: - 1 bat sang.
- 2 bats flapped.
- 3 bats cha-cha-ed
- 4 bats tapped.
Every year a troupe of 55 buoyant bats comes up with 10 fabulous acts to entertain and instruct an enthusiatic audience. And every year the bats top themselves when they perform the grandest finale of all . . . With its exuberant text and enchanting illustrations, Bat Jamboree is both a counting book and a thrilling theatrical event.
Industry Reviews
Woodland and barnyard animals flock to a midsummer Bat Jamboree at an abandoned drive-in theater in this grinningly batty counting book. At the words "the houselights went down," the sun sets and moonlight floods the movie screen. "Then.../ 1 bat sang./ 2 bats flapped./ 3 bats cha-cha-ed./ 4 bats tapped," until 10 teams of talented chiropterans appear. Afterward, the performers count backward to make a pyramid with 10 bats at the bottom, nine on their shoulders and so on. Appelt (Bayou Lullaby) describes the show in bouncy but sometimes forced rhymes: "The time came, at last, for the grand finale: / The Acro-Bats!/ Yes, there were 10 bats in all-e." Her most humorous moment comes when "the bat lady sings." Sweet (A House by the Sea; the Pinky and Rex books) serves up airy watercolors. Her mousy-gray bats have snaggly overbites, wide eyes and colorful vests; their facial expressions vary from apprehensive to thrilled, and the attending bears, moose, sheep and ducks watch appreciatively. There's a nervous energy in these pictures that will almost surely disarm the reader, right off the bat. Ages 3-up. (Aug.)
Lopate
PreS-Gr 2 A witty combination of counting book and theatrical experience. Each year the Bat Jamboree, starring 55 adorable bats, draws a standing-room only audience of animals of all types, and each year the show is better than ever. Against the silver backdrop of a drive-in movie screen, one bat sings, two bats flap, three bats cha-cha-cha, etc., until the grand finale, the great bat pyramid. Readers will find themselves counting backward with no effort at all as 10 bats line up, 9 flutter, 8 fly, and on up the pyramid. Of course, the show isn't over until the bat lady sings! Children who have experienced or participated in any type of performance will especially appreciate the anticipation building up to the excitement of the finale. The playful, rhyming text and Sweet's characteristically charming watercolors will have kids cooking up their own backyard jamborees. Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA
Lopate
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