Amara, a brown-skinned girl, loves bats. Her all-consuming interest starts when she, her mother, and her teenage brother, Samir, find a bat in their attic. Amara wants to keep it as a pet, but her mother calls wildlife rescue instead. After that, Amara reads everything she can about bats, repeating what she knows to anyone who will listen. When the family moves to a new house, Amara rushes to the park to look for bats but, sadly, finds none. After learning that bats have been driven from the area by the recent construction of an apartment complex, Amara manages to engage her new classmates in a project that will help make the park more attractive to bats by making bat houses and creating a small bat sanctuary. After a realistically long amount of time, the bats do, indeed, begin to return to the park. While the community-led nature reserve may happen a bit too easily here, the story of child activists making change is infused with an age-appropriate hopefulness. Back matter includes more information about bats, how to make and install a bat house, and other ways you can help bats. End pages include delightful line drawings of eighteen different species of bats. (Ages 6-9)

Environmental activism gets a nocturnal twist in this utterly charming picture book about a young girl and her mission to save the bats!

Amara loves bats! Her favorite thing to do is to collect bat facts and watch the amazing mammals fly at night by her house. But when Amara moves to a new town, she learns that her beloved bats no longer roost nearby because so many trees are being cut down.

Amara is upset. What can she do to help? She’s just one person, and the problem feels so much bigger than her. But after doing some research, she discovers that there are many young people making big changes all around the world. Inspired to take action, Amara gathers her new friends to help save the bats. Together, she knows they can make a difference!

Emma Reynolds crafts an inspiring story about community action, perseverance, and what to do in the face of climate anxiety. At its heart, this is a story about hope and finding a place to call home.