Fiona, a short-tailed fruit bat pup, is old enough to fly but lacks the courage to do so, fearing the inability to see in the dark. Her mother provides encouragement with the advice to listen. So listen she does, eventually realizing that the sounds she hears and sees as shapes in her mind are echoes bouncing back to her from her surroundings. Having figured out echolocation, Fiona finally gains the confidence to fly. On the final two pages, the author, who is a biologist and bat expert, explains echolocation and how bats use it and provides bat facts with specific details about Fiona’s species. Full-colour illustrations depict the characters and events of the story, many as double-page spreads. The light tones and bright colours used for the bats and other key elements of the story stand out against the dark hues used for the background scenes of cave walls and night skies.

Other End Matter: Information on echolocation and bats
Images: Colour illustrations
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Source: Books BC - BC Books for Schools

Dan Riskin is an evolutionary biologist and passionate ambassador of science to popular audiences. Since 2011, Riskin has cohosted the world’s only hour-long daily science show, Daily Planet, on Discovery Canada. He is also the host of Animal Planet’s wildly successful show Monsters Inside Me, about parasites. He lives in Toronto.

Dan Riskin's profile page

Rachel Qiuqi is an illustrator and designer who spent six years studying animation before focusing on illustration for children. Her books include What’s Growing in Mommy’s Tummy? and We Are Earthlings. She is based in Canada.

Rachel Qiuqi's profile page

"A worthy purchase where bat collections are looking for a refresh."
—School Library Journal

"For kids who love stories about animals, this book truly delivers story and understanding."
—Youth Services Book Review

"Bats are so much more than Halloween symbols, as environmental biologist Dan Riskin makes clear…... Riskin interweaves intriguing facts about fruit bats and an easy-to-understand explanation of echolocation into an engaging tale... inspires youngsters to a greater curiosity and understanding about bats."
—Washington Parent

"Mesmerizing."
—Imagination Soup

Praise for Mother Nature is Trying to Kill You written by Dan Riskin

A Globe & Mail Bestseller and a Toronto Star Bestseller.

Featured in a one-hour special for the Canadian Discovery Channel.

"A fact-filled and amusing trek through nature's dark side that adroitly combines learning and the yuck factor."
—Kirkus Reviews