Ages 4-6. Peering out from a hole in the ceiling, Littlebat loves listening to the librarian reading to children below. But he's too far away to make out the pictures, and his mother warns him that it's too dangerous to show himself. Will he ever be able to see them up close? "`You must wait for changes,'" says his mother mysteriously. So Littlebat waits, as the seasons, the bulletin board displays, and the leaves all change. At last comes a storytime where the rapt young listeners are in costume, a jack-o-lantern glows atop a shelf, and one small bat hanging over the librarian's head just seems part of the decor. Littlebat is no Stellaluna, but like the African American librarian in Kendall's warm-toned illustrations, he's all smiles and amiability. Children who delight in sharing stories will find kindred spirits here, and with plenty of clear visual cues both inside and outside the airy children's library to mark passing seasons and holidays, this is a natural candidate for thematic programs as well as Halloween story hours. --John Peters

K-Gr 2-A charming story of a young bat that loves to listen to stories at the library. Littlebat lives in the building's attic with his mother and a host of other bats. He falls asleep in a corner over a ceiling vent, and awakens hours later to the sounds of storytime. He loves this ritual, and is fascinated with what he hears, but he's frustrated because he can't see the pictures. He is contented to just listen until the day he sees a giant moth on the page the librarian is reading and swoops down to eat this delectable morsel. Of course, this action frightens all the preschoolers gathered there. His mother reassures Littlebat that a day will come when he, too, will be able to see the books being read without scaring anyone away. Seasons pass, and the little creature waits patiently until that moment comes. This story has enough suspense to keep readers anticipating what day the animal will finally get to see the pictures and enough tension to keep readers firmly on his side. Kendall's illustrations accurately depict the bats and the cheerful library they inhabit. This story does much to dispel the myths that surround bats. Any librarian would be glad to have these creatures in their library (at least on paper).-Susan Marie Pitard, formerly at Weezie Library for Children, Nantucket Atheneum, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From his attic roost in the public library, Littlebat eavesdrops on story hour, but he isn't allowed to go down close to see the pictures. Motherbat says he must wait for the right time, which finally comes months later, when Halloween decorations adorn the walls and Littlebat blends right in. The payoff doesnÆt quite justify the buildup, but readers will relish LittlebatÆs predicament and KendallÆs endearing depiction of him. From HORN BOOK Spring 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.