The Bats are Having Fun Tonight!

Brian Lies is a children's picture book author and illustrator. He paints vivid pictures that feature a flock of bats as the main characters. Each night, these bats fly off from their corner of someone's garage to enjoy a variety of nocturnal adventures. His artwork is full of adorable details that endear the reader, and his delightful lyrical poetry flows smoothly across each page. Together, they unfold stories full of fun and imagination. Below are summaries of his four beloved books that have captivated readers across the nation. It won't be long before they are considered classics of contemporary children's literature.

Not only does the author create memorable books, he also dedicates his work to the cause of bat conservation. Click on the link provided at the end of this article to find out more.

Each book review begins with a prompt to get you thinking about how you like to satisfy your own sense of adventure. These prompts and the summaries of story action were written to inspire you to read the books, learn more about bats, and give you ideas for creating your own adventure stories in your spare time.

Flight of fancy ~ Have you ever attended a beach party after the sun has set and the stars have begun twinkling? Who did you party with on the beach? What games did you play and what food did you eat? Was there music to dance to? Find out about the frolics of an adventurous flock of bats that know what to do when the sun goes down. You'll want to join them on their next gathering along the seashore.

The Bats' Starlit Beach Party

A bat colony visits the beach on a brightly moonlit night for a nocturnal picnic party on the seashore. They bring baskets of food, towels, chairs, and other items necessary for an awesome summer beach party. They build sand castles, hold boat races, toast marshmallows, and sing songs together around a campfire. Their frolicking lasts until they see the sun begin to rise. A beach party could not be more fun than the one they gave themselves. This book is a whale of a great read for all ages, but don't forget to put on your moon-tan lotion. Brian Lies' illustrations made me want to jump into the book and join them. Information about bats is included at the end of the book.

Flight of fancy ~ If you love the library as much as I do, you may dream of spending the night at your local branch. What would you do if you had that chance? Would you dress up as your favorite literary character and find a comfortable spot to spend the night reading your favorite book? Would you watch a documentary that you could only see at the library? Would you use the art supplies to create a stunning masterpiece of your own? You'll want to hide among the stacks and join them on their next nocturnal literary adventure.

The Bats' Visit to the Library

Everyone's favorite colony of adorable bats is back, and this time they fly into a window of their local library, which was left open after the building had been closed for the night. From an amazing adventure through a pop-up book to photocopying themselves and making shadow puppets out of themselves on the wall with the overhead projector, the library comes alive one night as never before! They pass the night in literary bliss and are reluctant to leave as the sun begins to rise. Will they make it out before the library re-opens? Be sure to join them on their next scholarly frolic!

Flight of fancy ~ Do you and your friends dream of coming across a baseball diamond at night that offers you a chance to play a game under the stars, complete with concessions? Wouldn't it be fun to meet with another group of kids to play a nocturnal game? Is there a place close to your home that you'd love to transform into a baseball diamond? What is your favorite food to eat at a ballgame? Next time the carnival is in your town, meet some friends under a tent for a spontaneous nocturnal adventure and witness the stellar sportsmanship demonstrated by our favorite flock of bats.

The Bats' Ballgame

The bat colony flies to the grounds of a carnival and make their own fantastic carnival fun one night under a striped tent. While the townspeople are asleep in their beds, they meet another colony that also wants to use the tent. Both teams work together to create an old-fashioned baseball field for themselves, then play a very close game, full of suspense and friendly rivalry. It's amazing what cooperation can do for a batty good time. When the sun starts to rise, they shake paws and pat each other on the back with a promise to meet again before they part ways.

Flight of fancy ~ Would you stay up all night and bring your instruments to meet friends at a mysterious place for a party filled with all kinds of music? With sandy floors and ocean waves roaring outside the door, would you be inspired to play your favorite songs? Would you build instruments of your own to show your little ones how they are made? You'll want to find your own music club on the seashore to jam every night with small, furry winged mammals to celebrate the musicality of spring.

The Bats' Night of Music

This adorable colony of bats wakes after their long winter hibernation. The air is warmer and they enjoy stretching their wings and flying. Not only are they hungry for food, they are hungry for making music and for the thrill of adventure. Some bring their own musical instruments and lead the way to a dark, quiet beach-side theatre. The bats that don't have instruments make some from household objects. A row of keys becomes a xylophone and a straw with holes becomes a tiny flute.

One bat dresses up, whips out his baton and warms up an orchestra while others make the theatre glow with dramatic lighting. The excitement grows as the bats mix in different combinations to play a variety of music: folk, country, blues, and children's nursery rhymes for the youth. When the night sky brightens in the predawn hours, the bats sound a gong to end the show and they all fly home. Watching the sleepy human world wake up, they hear music in all of the sounds of morning.

Now that you've had fun reading about the adventures of a gifted bat colony, learn more about the beauty of bats in our natural world from the link provided below. They are a very misunderstood species and need our protection.