Home in the Cave

Book: Home in the Cave

Author: Janet Halfmann

Illustrator: Shennen Bersani

Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2012

ISBN-13: 978-1-60718-522-2 (Hard cover)

ISBN-13: 978-1-60718-531-4 (Paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-60718-540-6 (eBook)

Related websites: www.janethalfmann.com (author), www.SylvanDellPublishing.com (publisher)

Language level: 1

(1=nothing objectionable; 2=common euphemisms and/or childish slang terms; 3=some cursing or profanity; 4=a lot of cursing or profanity; 5=obscenity and/or vulgarity)

Reading level: Ages 4-9

Rating: 5 stars (EXCELLENT)

Reviewed by Wayne S. Walker

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     Halfmann, Janet.  Home in the Cave (published in 2012 by Sylvan Dell Publishing, 612 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite A2, Mt. Pleasant, SC  29464).  Have you ever visited a cave and seen bats hanging from the ceiling or flying around?  Baby Bat lives in a cave with his mom, and he never wants to grow up and leave his home, especially when he hears scary stories from other bats about owls and foxes who prey on bats.  However, his mom must fly out of the cave to get food.  While she is gone, the little bat makes friends with Pluribus Packrat who teaches him all about some of the other cave creatures, such as phoebes, rattlesnakes, salamanders, cave crickets, crayfish, and many more.  Baby Bat also learns the importance of bats to the cave habitat.  Will he ever decide to fly out of the cave and go hunting with his mother?

     A lot of people are afraid of bats and hate them.  However, these unique animals have some very important functions in the ecosystems in which they live.  Janet Halfmann’s informative text and Shennen Bersani’s eye-catching illustrations combine to give a very sympathetic portrayal of life in the cave.  The “For Creative Minds” section contains information about cave zones and rock formations, a quiz on cave habitats, a bat echolocation hands on activity, and a page comparing and contrasting bats, birds, and humans along with answers to the question, “Are Bats Good or Bad?”  The publisher’s website gives further cross-curricular teaching activities and interactive reading comprehension and math quizzes for Home in the Cave.  When our boys were younger, we toured several caves where we noticed bats in their natural habitat and attended programs on bat ecology.  This book is a great way to study about these amazing creatures.