Welcome to Day 4 of the 7th Annual March MG Madness! Click here to see the full schedule and links to other days.
Bat and the End of Everything
(A Boy Called Bat #3)
By Elana K. Arnold
March 6, 2019
Walden Pond Press
Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat) has been the caretaker for Thor, the best skunk kit in the world... but the last day of third grade is quickly approaching, and Thor is almost ready to be released into the wild.
The end of school also means that Bat has to say good-bye to his favorite teacher, and he worries about the summer care of Babycakes, their adorable class pet. Not only that, but his best friend is leaving for a long vacation in Canada.
Summer promises good things, too, like working with his mom at the vet clinic and hanging out with his sister, Janie. But Bat can’t help but feel that everything is coming to an end.
National Book Award finalist Elana K. Arnold returns with the third story starring an unforgettable boy on the autism spectrum.
Q1. What three words best describe your book Bat and the End of Everything?
Empathy, loving-kindness, pets
Q2. Grab a copy of Bat and the End of Everything and answer the following:
Favorite chapter? Chapter 23, “Family Meeting”
Favorite page? Page 180, the very end.
Favorite setting? Bat’s bedroom
Flip to a random page and give us a 1-2 sentences teaser:
The cupcakes were delicious. Bat popped the final bite of his second cupcake into his mouth, appreciating how Janie always managed to apply just the right amount of frosting.
“You always put just the right amount of frosting on each cupcake,” Bat told Janie, chewing.
“Thanks, Bat,” Janie said. “That’s a really nice compliment.”
Q3. What inspired the A Boy Called Bat series? How did the story come to be?
This series of stories grew naturally out of the things that fascinate me: animal care; unusual pets; family and sibling relationships; new friendships; social difficulties; neurodiversity; love.
These are the things that my personal life intersects with constantly; these are the elements of life that form the backbone of each of my days and most of my thoughts. The BAT books are intensely personal.
Q4. Tell us a bit about your character Bat. What makes him special? What do you love about him?
I love everything about Bat: his commitment to animal care; his strengths and his challenges; his particular way of seeing the world. The things that make Bat special are the same sorts of things that make any child—and any person—special. It has been such a privilege to get to know Bat over the writing of this series of three books.
Q5. What do you love about writing and reading middle-grade lit?
Middle grade will always have my heart. These are the books I reach for when I don’t feel well, or when I am sad, or when I need comfort. Middle grade books are timeless.
Q6. What is your all-time favorite middle-grade book?
Harriet the Spy
Q7. Fill in the blanks:
I’m really awesome at cuddling animals.
I’m really embarrassed to admit that I have never had a pet skunk… though I have cuddled several!
The last great book I read was The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu.
Elana K. Arnold is the author of books for middle-grade readers and teens. Her middle grade titles include A Boy Called Bat, A 2018 Global Read Aloud Book and Bat and the Waiting Game. Her teen titles include Damsel, a 2019 Michael L. Printz Honor Book and What Girls Are Made Of, a National Book Award and California Book Award Finalist. You can find her online at :
Win a copy of
Bat and the End of Everything!
The folks at Walden Pond Press have generously offered one copy for one winner.
-US only
-ends 4/5/19
-winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
-Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost, damaged, stolen, prizes
I'm not sure if I've seen a skunk in the great outdoors before--it would be nice to get a glimpse of a small skunk kit!
ReplyDeleteI am especially interested in reading this series for several reasons...pets, a lovely character, and, did I mention pets! This particular book in the series appeals to me because of loss. This year has not been kind and this story grabs my heart.
ReplyDeleteI have the first book in this series and loved it. The themes in these books are ones I love to find in books as empathy and kindness to animals are close to my heart.
ReplyDeleteI read A Boy Called Bat, what a great book. Thanks for the chance to win episode 3!
ReplyDeleteMy students love Bat and would be thrilled to read more about him.
ReplyDeleteI have the first two books in the series in my classroom library. My students are now anxiously waiting for the third book.
ReplyDeleteI like the names of the two main characters, Bat and Thor. This sounds like a fun story.
ReplyDeleteBat is one of my favorite characters. I can't wait to read the latest book about him!
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