I’ve joined up with the IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? kid-lit edition, hosted by Unleashing Readers. This will help me get more reviews posted – I have lots of books I’ve loved lately to share with you!
Today I’m featuring two fall picture books by Janet Nolan, Get Ready for Halloween and Bats Beneath the Bridge (which isn’t specifically fall-themed, but we all know bats are on-topic for this time of year). Read on for my bite-sized reviews of the books, and then make sure you also check out the Janet’s list of top ten addictions to find out more about her!
Get Ready for Halloween by Janet Nolan Illustrator: Amy Zhing
Published by Albert Whitman & Company on September 5, 2024
Genres: Picture Book
Pages: 32
Source: Edelweiss
My rating:
Join a community of adorable animals as they prepare for the spookiest, sweetest night of the year!
Make your costume and choose your pumpkin. But that’s not all! String outdoor lights, hang up the spiders and bats. But that’s not all! Shop for candy, smile for photos. But that’s not all! Here come your neighbors and friends. Trick or treat!
Buy from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop.org
This adorable follow-up to Get Ready for School helps kids see all the preparation that goes into a favorite holiday! From making or buying costumes, to decorating, to shopping for candy, to picking the perfect pumpkin, the book will get kids excited for all the different aspects of Halloween! And of course, it all ends with the part kids love best – trick-or-treating! The playful animal illustrations (by Amy Zhing) will be sure to delight!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Bats Beneath the Bridge by Janet Nolan Illustrator: Emily Cox
Published by Albert Whitman & Company on September 5, 2024
Genres: Non-Fiction, Picture Book
Pages: 32
Source: Edelweiss
My rating:
More than one million bats nest under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas, and fill the sky every evening from spring to fall.
Discover how the people of Austin, Texas, stopped being afraid of the more than one million bats nesting under the Congress Avenue Bridge and, instead, welcomed them. This true story includes a foreword by bat biologist Dr. Merlin Tuttle, who came to Austin to advocate for the colony by educating residents about the ways in which bats are good for the environment, and for humans too. Now, tourists from all over the world come to Austin to watch the Brazilian free-tail bats fill the sky every evening in early spring.
Buy from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop.org
This book made me want to travel to Austin, Texas to see the bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge. I had no idea that over a million bats nest there! The book explains about the controversy in the city when the bats first appeared and how one scientist taught people that bats are actually helpful to the environment and not scary. It also tells of the many, many tourists who visit the city specifically to see the spectacle of so many bats flying off into the night. As I said, the story is so vivid that it made me decide that I definitely want to travel to Austin one day to see it. It’s not often that I read about something and think, “I must go see that for myself!!” This book will delight anyone, young or old, who loves nature and is fascinated by wildlife. Wonderfully illustrated by Emily Cox.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
About the Author
Janet Nolan loves the collaborative art of the picture book — how a writer’s words and an illustrator’s art come together to create something magical. As an award-winning author, her picture books range from fiction to nonfiction to historical fiction. She searches for stories that haven’t been told and fresh perspectives on events that bind us all together.Janet lives in Oak Park, Illinois. She has a B.A. from The Evergreen State College and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Janet is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Janet Nolan’s Top Ten Addictions
- Tea
That first cup with a bit of honey and a splash of milk. There is no better way to start the day.- Walks
I love to walk, so I do. I walk miles and miles daily, and (big plus) I get my best writing ideas when I’m out walking.- Writing
I guess that’s obvious. The best part is when the words agree to line up on the page just as I imagined them.- Revising
While I love to write, I’m addicted to revising—tweaking, editing, adding, subtracting, and then adding back in what I took out.- Water
Lakes, in particular, are my favorite. I enjoy swimming pools, but lakes with sandy bottoms are the best. Oceans, not so much – I’ve never mastered the art of the wave or the pull of the undertow.- Books
Of course, books! I’m a writer because I’m a reader. I love stories – all kinds of stories.- Family
I am part of a big, boisterous, wonderful family, and spending time together is truly a gift.- Food
I am the farthest thing from a foodie, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like food. Thinking about food is pretty fun too!- To-do Lists
I’m pretty addicted to my to-do lists because – let’s face it – if I didn’t write it down, it wouldn’t get done.- Fall
It’s my favorite season – the weather, the colors, and the sound of crunching leaves when I’m walking, which (see addiction #2) I love to do!
I’m impressed by those miles and miles of walking!! (But I’m no good at to-do lists, so I’ll leave that addiction to Janet. LOL!)
What I’m currently reading:
Right now I’m listening to A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry – quite a true-to-life story of living in the wild and all the dangers that entails! And I’m reading Crush by Svetlana Chmakova, my favorite in the series so far!
Kidlit since I last posted:
I reviewed Christine Virnig’s A Bite Above the Rest a few weeks ago (I haven’t posted for #IMWAYR for a bit), including Virnig’s Top Ten Addictions, so go check that post out while you’re here!
What are some of your favorite fall reads? I want to know!
Thanks for both, Nicole, time to start gathering the Halloween books! I know about the bats, but I didn’t know there was a book about them! Seeing them even in a video is amazing! Happy Labor Day!
Bats Beneath the Bridge sounds fascinating–I’ll definitely be looking for that one. I enjoyed reading Nolan’s top ten list too!
My late husband was from Texas and lived in Austin for a while. He told me about the bats under the bridge but we never visited there at the right time to see them. Thanks for sharing these two picture books. The Halloween one has a super cute cover.