Megabat by Anna Humphrey, illustrated by Kass Reich

I'm generally a little skeptical about stories starring sensitive boys - they tend not to circulate in my library. But this one won me over and I can definitely see an audience for this sweet and funny story.

Daniel Misumi is scared of his new house. It's old and creaky and, worst of all, there's a weird puddle in the attic which is also his bedroom! But when he takes up a jelly roll for dessert he discovers the source of the puddle... a talking bat! (It's tears, not pee. Just so you know.) Daniel and the bat quickly become friends and the bat gets a new name - Megabat! Plus a toy lightsaber! The next hurdle is Daniel's reluctant meeting with the next-door neighbors. Sweet Talia is instantly ready to help Megabat find his way home, but they've got bigger problems than just keeping Daniel's parents from finding out about Megabat. Now they've got to deal with Talia's nasty big brother, Jamie.

After some research at the library, Daniel figures out where Megabat's real home is. Will he be willing to let his new friend go? And can Megabat safely find his way home or will tragedy ensue? Along the way, there's a besotted and not-so-stupid pigeon, the thwarting of a villain (i.e. Jamie) and lots of silly bat talk.

Soft charcoal sketches decorate the pages, showing Megabat's homeland "Papaya Premium", Megabat pretending to wield a lightsaber, and other highlights of the story. A note at the back tells the readers more about bats and advertises the next book in the series.

Verdict: This slow and sweet story won't be for every reader, but there will be plenty of young readers who appreciate the slow building of a friendship and the quirky little bat.

ISBN: 9780735262577; Published August 2018 by Tundra; Borrowed from another library in my consortium