Top 10 Books for October


October is Bat Appreciation Month and one of the areas of study for many elementary classrooms. Besides being the perfect tie in to Halloween, bats are super fun for the students to draw, read, and write about. Not only can you find a number of non-fiction books on bats but there are also some excellent picture books with bats as main characters. So without further ado, here is my list of Top 10 Bat Books for October 2013.



Gail Gibbons is one of my favorite authors. Her books are perfect for students and this BATS book is just what the teacher ordered when it comes time for learning about bats. She offers wonderful illustrations and great information on different types of bats, habitat, and diet as well as giving definitions for many words associated with bats - nocturnal and roosts.






Bats: Cool Creatures of the Night by Emily Castleman is another book that gives students the information they will need to do their own nonfiction writing about bats. This book is filled with large beautiful photographs of these misunderstood creatures. The captions included with the photographs help students focus in and learn some great facts about these bats.






The National Geographic Kids book about Bats has AMAZING photographs that will intrigue and delight all of your students. This book puts kids into the front seat as it shows them the many places bats can call home: caves, attics, bridges and forests. This is a definite book for your classroom library, especially if you do a unit on bats.







Bat Jamboree by Kathi Appelt is a rhythmically fun book of counting and complete silliness. Your students will love seeing the hilarious illustrations as well as enjoy counting along with the rhythm of the story.







Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies is about the Pipstrelle Bat. By the end of reading this book and studying the beautiful watercolor illustrations your students will know everything they ever wanted to know about this specific bat.





Bats Around the Clock also by Kathy Appeltt has students wanting to put their dancing shoes on as they "sing" along. By the end of the book students will understand what it means when someone says "time flies when you are having fun". As you turn the pages to the rhythm of the written beat students will watch the time go by.

Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies is a story of fun and frolic on the beach at night. With buckets and shovels, beach towels and moon-tan lotion and some fun in the sand and surf it takes the reader along for the fun! This rhythmically written tale gives the reader a chance to visualize just what the bats are up to as they spend the evening at the beach. A perfect Halloween and Bat book!



We wouldn't want to leave out our beginning readers and counters in our Bat themed book selection, so Bats, Cats, & Hats a book of numbers counting to 10 by Dena Ackerman fits that bill. This book will not only have your little ones counting but they will need to think logically, can 2 witches read 1 book? Can 3 cats wear 4 hats? This book is a must have for any Kinder classroom!



What book list about Bats would be complete without Stellaluna by Janell Cannon? For most of us teachers this is a well loved and always used book during the month of October. It is a great story about a little lost bat named Stellaluna that gives readers a great visual to compare and contrast bats and birds. This is the perfect Common Core book but what makes it even better is the story!




There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat by Lucille Colandro is the perfect Halloween/Bat story that students L.O.V.E.! It has all the things that make a great story, rhythm, rhyme, silliness, repetition and awesome illustrations! Why not slip this story in after students have worked long and hard on their Bat writing? The perfect way to end the Bat lesson! Don't forget to use this book in a center for practicing and finding rhymes!



I am pretty sure there is nothing new on this list that you haven't heard about or already have in your library, but maybe I have reminded you of a few gems that are tucked away.  If any of these have been on your wishlist for a while, I think now is the time to add them to your library, you won't be sorry!

Let's hear it for the Bat...hip hip hooray!





7 comments

  1. I love that these are all bat books! This is a great list! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Kelley! I hope you are having a great school year so far!
      Shawna

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  2. Hooray for bats! Bats at the Library is a personal favorite of mine. ;)

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    1. Hi Danielle,
      It is also one of my favorites, but it is already on a couple of my Top 10 lists, so I decided to leave it off this one :)
      Shawna

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Oh, I have got to go shopping. You listed a couple I don't have. Thanks, Shawna.
    http://mrsbrownthebookworm.blogspot.com/

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Thoughts and comments are always welcome!