Good Night, Bat! : Good Morning, Squirrel! by P. Meisel

Abstract

Meisel, Paul. Good Night, Bat! : Good Morning, Squirrel! Highlights, 2016.Paul Meisel, Geisel Honor award winning author and illustrator, creates a humorous story about friendship and miscommunication. This fictional picture book follows homeless Bat on his journey to finding the perfect new home. Through whimsical mis-read notes the friendship between Bat and Squirrel blossoms.The literary content in this story is invaluable for young readers. Meisel demonstrates the complexities of the English language by playing with simple words and phrases while demanding that readers also read the images. This play on words offers a charming world in which young children can explore and expand upon their vocabulary.Complimenting this hilarious story are illustrations that demand the reader’s attention. At a first glance, the visuals appear gloomy due to the brown, green and grey tones. However, the expressions of Bat and Squirrel, along with the simple but easily misunderstood leaf note’s enable young readers to become enthralled in the world of Bat and Squirrel.Combining the two essential features of playing with language and reading illustrations, Good Night, Bat! Good Morning, Squirrel! is an essential read-aloud story for any early childhood classroom.Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Leah Den HaanLeah Den Haan is a grade one French immersion teacher with Edmonton Public Schools. She has always enjoyed children’s literature and loves sharing her love of reading with her students on a daily basis.