📖 Overview
Bats in the Band follows a group of bats who venture out at night to make music together. The bats gather in an old theater to perform different genres and styles.
The story showcases various musical instruments and types of performances through rhyming text and detailed illustrations. Bats play in jazz combos, classical ensembles, rock bands and more throughout the narrative.
The narrative celebrates music, creativity, and community through its portrayal of bats coming together to express themselves. This picture book demonstrates how art and performance can bring individuals together for shared moments of joy.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate the detailed illustrations of musical bats engaging in various genres, from jazz to marching band. Parents note the book works well for teaching children about different instruments and music styles. Several teachers mention using it during music-themed lessons.
Readers highlight the rhyming text's rhythm and musicality. One parent wrote, "The words flow naturally when reading aloud." Multiple reviews mention children requesting repeated readings.
Some readers found the dark color palette makes details hard to see, especially during bedtime reading. A few noted the story is thinner compared to other Lies bat books.
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (586 ratings)
Amazon: 4.8/5 (103 ratings)
Barnes & Noble: 4.7/5 (12 ratings)
Sample review: "Beautiful artwork and clever musical references, but the narrative feels secondary to the illustrations. Still captivates my 4-year-old who loves finding new details each time." - Goodreads reviewer
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Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews A young musician from New Orleans learns to play trombone and leads his own band through the streets of the French Quarter.
The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub A jazz-playing fly creates music with other insects using scat-inspired sounds and rhythmic text.
Because by Mo Willems A chain of events follows a young girl's first encounter with music through her journey to becoming an orchestra conductor.
The Music in George's Head by Suzanne Slade The life story of composer George Gershwin unfolds through his creation of "Rhapsody in Blue" with musical notes and sounds woven into the narrative.
Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews A young musician from New Orleans learns to play trombone and leads his own band through the streets of the French Quarter.
The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub A jazz-playing fly creates music with other insects using scat-inspired sounds and rhythmic text.
Because by Mo Willems A chain of events follows a young girl's first encounter with music through her journey to becoming an orchestra conductor.
🤔 Interesting facts
🦇 Author Brian Lies not only writes about bats but has been fascinated by them since childhood when he discovered them living in his family's barn.
📚 The book is part of a successful series featuring musical bats, including "Bats at the Beach," "Bats at the Library," and "Bats at the Ballgame."
🎵 The illustrations show bats playing a wide variety of musical instruments and genres, from jazz and classical to rock and country music.
🎨 The artwork was created using acrylic paints, and Lies paid careful attention to accurately depicting the anatomy of the bats while still making them whimsical.
🌙 The story takes place in an abandoned music hall where bats gather at night to perform, reflecting the real nocturnal nature of these fascinating creatures.