How can a body get attention while hanging upside down?
He's a cute gray bat with a mischievous smile, but he goes mostly unnoticed by visitors. (There is one little boy in a blue sweater who points to him and to whom Batty says, "Hello," but he is the lone exception.) So, Batty seeks friends among the other animals. The penguins are having fun in their pool, but Batty can't stand the taste of fish. The gorillas look friendly, but they keep checking him for fleas. The lions seem nice and relaxed, but Batty finds he doesn't like lazing in the hot sun for so long. Disappointed but hopeful, he next tries the aviary, where the creatures are all very beautiful. But up close, those birds are far too noisy. Feeling sad and lonely, Batty flies back to his home. And there, he finds a big surprise: All the animals he has gone to visit are there waiting for him—or at least one of each—including the boy in the blue sweater. And they're all hanging upside down, like bats. Dyer's story and prose feel generic, but her pencil-and-pastel illustrations, stylish, economical and slyly humorous, are memorable. The cleverest aspect of all is that several of the book's illustrations, as well as the back cover and flyleaf, are upside down, just like Batty.
A sweet, if not particularly memorable adventure in perspective. (Picture book. 3-6)
