Silver-winged bat

Author: [Canada] Ophir
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: A terrifying tropical jungle / A mysterious tower; A gentle old tree / A strange underground world; Little bats defeat giant carnivorous bats / Become the greatest hero in the tribe. This is an extraordinary story, telling the adventurous experiences of bats that are both thrilling and convincing. – Publishers Weekly
Your child will definitely love these little bats because Ophir gives them a chance to go on an adventure with the bats. – Today’s Parent
Ophir shows readers the real side of bats and incorporates many philosophical insights into legends and stories. The characters he creates are vividly distinct—the heroes are heroes, the villains are villains—and he leaves plenty of suspense for readers to ponder themselves. – School Library Journal
I have a friend who is a true bat enthusiast. He knows a lot about bats and even built "bat boxes" for them—wooden nests that he nailed high up in the trees. I think his passion influenced me, and I started reading books about bats. Soon, I became fascinated with folk tales from around the world that described bats. These stories told of their origins, why they only fly at night, and their connections with other animals. Are bats birds or mammals? I quickly developed a strong interest in this animal.
However, in European society, bats have traditionally been considered frightening creatures. Of course, some species of bats look quite terrifying (even more grotesque than the creatures I’ve seen), but others, like some bats in North America, and certainly the protagonists in this book, are more like beautiful winged mice. I was amazed at how incredible bats are as animals (despite the common belief that they can’t see anything, their vision is actually quite good). Though they can only see in black and white, with the help of echolocation systems, they can fly freely and migrate like birds. But no one really knows how they find their way correctly during their long journeys. It’s said that some bats can even fly over the ocean.
All of this inspired me to create a rich source of material for a fantasy world. I added existing myths and various pieces of specialized knowledge to this novel, along with some magical elements. I enjoy the challenge of creating a black-and-white world, describing the sonar views of bats and the vocalization patterns they use for migration. I also enjoy the challenge of portraying these animals, which many people consider "ugly" or "frightening," as interesting and charming characters.
I’ve written about many other animals before, and they’ve all been very lovable—horses, mice, rabbits, pigs, even spiders. But would children relate to bats?