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kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=5561
This book takes the reader through the scientific inquiry process while the scientists work to figure out the mystery of the bats. Quite an adventure!!
This book takes the reader through the scientific inquiry process while the scientists work to figure out the mystery of the bats. Quite an adventure!!
100pagesaday's review against another edition
5.0
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is wonderful scientific mystery for middle grade readers. The information is presented clearly and simply, but with accuracy and science vocabulary.
Sandra Markle leads kids through the scientific process by explaining what the issue is and why it is important, how it is affecting the bats and data collection, hypotheses to what the problem could be, finding the cause of the problem and possible solutions. I read this with a group of kids aged 10-12, they were intrigued by the mystery and inspired to find out more about bats and what they could do to help- that is exactly what I want a science book to do. Female students also liked that many of the scientists were women!
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
Sandra Markle leads kids through the scientific process by explaining what the issue is and why it is important, how it is affecting the bats and data collection, hypotheses to what the problem could be, finding the cause of the problem and possible solutions. I read this with a group of kids aged 10-12, they were intrigued by the mystery and inspired to find out more about bats and what they could do to help- that is exactly what I want a science book to do. Female students also liked that many of the scientists were women!
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
aylea's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally published by The Children's Book and Media Review
This book explores the mystery of why little brown bats are disappearing and the problems their disappearance could cause. Because bats eat insects that do damage to crops and transmit diseases, bats are important to the ecosystem. Researchers learned that these bats were dying in large numbers in 2007, and since then they have tried to find out why they keep dying and why the bats were flying during the winter when they should have been hibernating. The book explores what hibernating bats need to survive, what the killers could possibly be, the process it took to find the killer, and the current work being done to try to save the bats.
This book is a good introduction to bats, the scientific process, and a few ways that animals could possibly go extinct. The back of the book has recommendations to help bats and a glossary to explain some of the more difficult vocabulary. The photographs of the bats help show the problems that these tiny creatures face. The way the book shows steps of a scientific investigation and possible causes, even the ones that turned out to be false, will please future scientists and other people interested in the scientific process.
This book explores the mystery of why little brown bats are disappearing and the problems their disappearance could cause. Because bats eat insects that do damage to crops and transmit diseases, bats are important to the ecosystem. Researchers learned that these bats were dying in large numbers in 2007, and since then they have tried to find out why they keep dying and why the bats were flying during the winter when they should have been hibernating. The book explores what hibernating bats need to survive, what the killers could possibly be, the process it took to find the killer, and the current work being done to try to save the bats.
This book is a good introduction to bats, the scientific process, and a few ways that animals could possibly go extinct. The back of the book has recommendations to help bats and a glossary to explain some of the more difficult vocabulary. The photographs of the bats help show the problems that these tiny creatures face. The way the book shows steps of a scientific investigation and possible causes, even the ones that turned out to be false, will please future scientists and other people interested in the scientific process.
afro8921's review against another edition
4.0
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is an interesting scientific mystery. Little brown bats eat insects (mosquitos) that carry infectious diseases,and harm crops. During hibernation, the little brown bat uses it's fat storage to survive while they wait for the spring to arrive. Because of the moisture they loose during hibernation, these little bats need to little flights to replenish their water sources. They then return to their nesting site and settle down for a long winter's nap. In 2007 scientist noticed that large part of the little brown bat populations were dying and flying when then shouldn't be. Scientist from different agencies used scientific methods to try to figure out what was killing these small creatures. This book would be a good book for 4 and 5th graders.
teenytinylibrary's review against another edition
3.0
The Scientists in the Field nonfiction series for kids is one of my favorite set of books EVER. The stories are interesting, the pictures are bright and eye-catching, and it makes me interested in some of the weirdest science. Like frog science. Or tree kangaroo science. The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats isn't one of those books, but it doesn't follow the same formula. Markle takes the reader through the mystery of the little brown bat's slow demise and the attempt to save the species. The book pretty clearly follows the scientific method without being explicit (really, it could have been explicit considering the audience). My one beef with the writing is that I didn't know until the very end of the book that the problem with little brown bats is still on-going. Researchers still haven't quite found a way to prevent the little brown bats from getting white nose syndrome. I'm not sure if this was a deliberate style decision, but it bothered me to come to the end of the book and realize that the case remains still partially unsolved. Unlike other children's nonfiction books, this has a fabulous bibliography at the end for further reading. If you have little scientists at your house, this is one that I would highly recommend in addition to all of the Scientists in the Field books.
corncobwebs's review against another edition
But the biggest motivation [to keep researching and writing] is that the world is full of science mysteries that need tackling. Any of you readers could grow up to be part of the next generation of science detectives. Then you too could be working to make this world a better place for all Earth's animals, including little brown bats.
I'm a big fan of Markle's "Case of the Vanishing..." series. For people like me (who think science is awesome but aren't naturally inclined to be scientists), framing the book like a mystery makes it really interesting and grasp-able. I particularly liked this book because there's a clear-cut answer as to why the little brown bats are dying out -- in Markle's other book about bees, the mystery was never fully solved, and I didn't really like that. But the best part about this book is how it makes science accessible and interesting, which will hopefully inspire lots of kids to become scientists themselves. As Markle says, there are lots of scientific mysteries that need solving, so the more scientists, the better.
My only reservation about this book (or maybe it's not about the book, but about the scientific process in general) is I wish there had been more emphasis on caring for the bats throughout the course of solving the mystery. There's lots of talk about studying bats in various stages of fungal infection, which includes taking tissue samples, affixing tracking devices, etc. These methods all seem kind of cruel to me, and it sends the message that it's OK to sacrifice individual bats for the good of the species. I guess there's some truth in this line of thinking, but I think it's important to care for the bats that are being studied, too -- and to show this caring, humane approach. Lots of kids who read books like this are animal lovers, and might find it upsetting that bats are sacrificed in the name of science. Then again, I'm a huge animal lover myself, so maybe I'm just projecting my personal feelings on the intended audience.
Overall, though, this is an engaging, well-researched, and well-presented book that belongs in most (if not all) library collections. With Halloween coming up, it would be a great addition to a book display about bats.
I'm a big fan of Markle's "Case of the Vanishing..." series. For people like me (who think science is awesome but aren't naturally inclined to be scientists), framing the book like a mystery makes it really interesting and grasp-able. I particularly liked this book because there's a clear-cut answer as to why the little brown bats are dying out -- in Markle's other book about bees, the mystery was never fully solved, and I didn't really like that. But the best part about this book is how it makes science accessible and interesting, which will hopefully inspire lots of kids to become scientists themselves. As Markle says, there are lots of scientific mysteries that need solving, so the more scientists, the better.
My only reservation about this book (or maybe it's not about the book, but about the scientific process in general) is I wish there had been more emphasis on caring for the bats throughout the course of solving the mystery. There's lots of talk about studying bats in various stages of fungal infection, which includes taking tissue samples, affixing tracking devices, etc. These methods all seem kind of cruel to me, and it sends the message that it's OK to sacrifice individual bats for the good of the species. I guess there's some truth in this line of thinking, but I think it's important to care for the bats that are being studied, too -- and to show this caring, humane approach. Lots of kids who read books like this are animal lovers, and might find it upsetting that bats are sacrificed in the name of science. Then again, I'm a huge animal lover myself, so maybe I'm just projecting my personal feelings on the intended audience.
Overall, though, this is an engaging, well-researched, and well-presented book that belongs in most (if not all) library collections. With Halloween coming up, it would be a great addition to a book display about bats.
scostner's review against another edition
4.0
Sandra Markle has the knack for writing about scientific concepts in an enjoyable narrative. Similar to her book on the vanishing honey bees, this book tells about the little brown bats and how scientists are trying to save them. It traces the story from the first realization that something was happening to the bat populations in northeastern caves, through the investigations and testing to identify the problem, and then goes into what scientists are doing now to combat the White-Nose Syndrome.
Each 2-page spread has either a full page illustration, or large illustrations on both pages. The photos bring the story to life and capture the reader's interest, as well as keeping the reader from being overwhelmed by nonstop text. I particularly like the map that shows where and when the WNS has been identified. It is easy to see how the problem has spread over time and readers can see if it has reached their area of the country. Other nice elements include captions for all photos, definitions of words within the text as well as in a glossary at the back of the book, a listing of books and websites for further information, and even a list of ways to help in your area and bat conservation groups to contact.
This would be a great book for anyone interested in wildlife - either studying the animals, conservation efforts, or related scientific fields. It would also be great to use in a classroom as an example of nonfiction/informational text and all the useful text features that help readers find the facts they need (table of contents, index, etc.). It could also be used with a unit on maps and how they serve as infographics to convey various types of information. However it is used for learning or recreational reading, it will be a winner.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
Each 2-page spread has either a full page illustration, or large illustrations on both pages. The photos bring the story to life and capture the reader's interest, as well as keeping the reader from being overwhelmed by nonstop text. I particularly like the map that shows where and when the WNS has been identified. It is easy to see how the problem has spread over time and readers can see if it has reached their area of the country. Other nice elements include captions for all photos, definitions of words within the text as well as in a glossary at the back of the book, a listing of books and websites for further information, and even a list of ways to help in your area and bat conservation groups to contact.
This would be a great book for anyone interested in wildlife - either studying the animals, conservation efforts, or related scientific fields. It would also be great to use in a classroom as an example of nonfiction/informational text and all the useful text features that help readers find the facts they need (table of contents, index, etc.). It could also be used with a unit on maps and how they serve as infographics to convey various types of information. However it is used for learning or recreational reading, it will be a winner.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
afro75's review against another edition
4.0
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is an interesting scientific mystery. Little brown bats eat insects (mosquitos) that carry infectious diseases,and harm crops. During hibernation, the little brown bat uses it's fat storage to survive while they wait for the spring to arrive. Because of the moisture they loose during hibernation, these little bats need to little flights to replenish their water sources. They then return to their nesting site and settle down for a long winter's nap. In 2007 scientist noticed that large part of the little brown bat populations were dying and flying when then shouldn't be. Scientist from different agencies used scientific methods to try to figure out what was killing these small creatures. This book would be a good book for 4 and 5th graders.
kgourd's review against another edition
5.0
The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats is a high-quality nonfiction title. It presents the problem, scientific response/research, and the potential solutions, in addition to providing further information in the back of the book. What a great resource for children to better understand real-life ecological systems and science!