Good Night, Bat! Good Morning, Squirrel!

Tone can be a tricky thing in written communication, as anyone who has sent an email a little too hastily knows. The same is apparently true of notes written on leaves and mushroom caps, something that Squirrel discovers as she tries to get her unexpected new housemate, Bat, to vacate her tree nest. "Dear Bat, Leave my house!! Sincerely, Squirrel," she writes after several previous notes are misunderstood by the good-natured Bat. But he doesn't get the message this time, either, instead doubling the square footage of Squirrel's nest--using extra leaves, of course. "I leaved your house. Hope you like it!" writes Bat, signing off his letter with a smiley face. Meisel's (Run for Your Life!) digitally colored crayon and charcoal cartoons keep the mood light, even as Squirrel's frustrations mount; eventually, she realizes that having Bat around isn't so bad--what better roommate than one who doesn't even share your sleep schedule? It's a drily funny portrait of the rewards of opening oneself up to new opportunities and friendships. Ages 4-8. Agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2--Bat has lost his home. He politely states his dilemma while asking different animals if he can live with them--without success. That is, until he finally finds a perfect place in Squirrel's leafy house--unbeknownst to his host, who is still asleep when Bat arrives. When Squirrel wakes to find her unwelcome houseguest sleeping on a twig, she is not pleased. She asks him to leave in no uncertain terms. But as Bat is fast asleep, she decides to leave him a note "to be on the safe side." Squirrel's angry note orders the interloper to "bug off!," which Bat misinterprets to mean that Squirrel doesn't like bugs on her bed. Bat happily complies and piles his bugs in a corner, off Squirrel's bed, even leaving Squirrel a polite reply: "Sorry about the bugs! See you later! Bat." When Squirrel returns home to find her unwanted guest is still there, she is enraged and writes an even angrier note to Bat. A slew of hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings ensue. Readers will delight in guessing how sweet, clueless Bat will misread Squirrel's grumpy missives. However, the very last note will leave readers saying "Awww." The illustrations perfectly convey the feelings of Bat and Squirrel and reflect and enhance the overall tone of the story. This is an uplifting, giggle-inducing, winning read-aloud, ideal for any storytime. VERDICT A fresh, funny, sweet offering in which friendship triumphs despite obvious outward differences. A must-have for any library.--Megan Kilgallen, Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Homeless Bat moves in, unannounced, with Squirrel. Can this odd couple live together in peace?... Meisel's plot moves in appealing increments, stressing the importance not only of friendship, but also of courtesy; the epistolary relationship is an added bonus. His rich palette and expressively drawn animals add warmth to an important message. Odd-couple stories are far from an endangered species, but this one's worth making room for. —Booklist