A Boy Called Bat

The first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum.
For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.
But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.
"This sweet and thoughtful novel chronicles Bat’s experiences and challenges at school with friends and teachers and at home with his sister and divorced parents. Approachable for younger or reluctant readers while still delivering a powerful and thoughtful story" (from the review by Brightly, which named A Boy Called Bat a best book of the year).
Elana K. Arnold's Bat trilogy is a proven winner in the home and classroom—kids love these short illustrated young middle grade books. The trilogy is A Boy Called Bat, Bat and the Waiting Game, and Bat and the End of Everything.

About the Author

Elana K Arnold writes books for and about children and teens. Her oeuvre includes DAMSEL, a Printz Honor Winner and a finalist for the California Book Award; WHAT GIRLS ARE MADE OF, a finalist for the National Book Award and the California Book Award and the winner of the Golden Kite Award; A BOY CALLED BAT, a 2018 Global Read Aloud selection; and INFANDOUS, which won the Moonbeam Children's Book Award and the Westchester Fiction Prize. Her books have garnered many starred reviews and have been featured on numerous “Best Books of the Year” lists. She teaches in Hamline University’s low residency MFA program in Writing for Children and Teens and lives in Southern California with her family and a menagerie of animals.