The children become entranced with a colony of bats as they leave their roost in the trees along the river and fill the skies in search of food and drink. As the bats’ nocturnal adventures commence and the family is about to settle for the night, the desire to find the last bat leaving the trees around them, becomes a joyful game for the children.
The gentle rhyme throughout the story takes us on the journeys of six different bat species as they feast on fruits and nectar, drink water from their fur and care for their pups. Each bat is stunningly illustrated by Samantha Metcalfe, both in detail and silhouetted, as the skies begin to darken and the stars emerge. The palettes of pink, purple and violet beautifully reflect early dusk and the night sky. The endpapers are wonderful works of art that draw the reader into story and brings it to a satisfying end.
David Gullan has intertwined his lyrical rhyme with fascinating facts that are more deeply explored in the information section at the end of the story. Bold words in the information section are then explained in the glossary section, making this book such a wonderful resource to not only read and savour, as we look to the skies at night, but also to appreciate differentiation between our native bats species.
Young children will enjoy the simple rhyme and delightful pictures as the story is read and the lifelike illustrations explored. Older children and parents can discover interesting facts (such as the difference between megabats and microbats), hopefully gain an appreciation of the wonderful world of bats, why they are so necessary and perhaps become emboldened to become active caretakers of their environment. As a family playing ‘Last Bat’ outlined at the end of the story, may well be a popular activity to encourage us all to stop and watch this spectacle in the skies.
Highly recommend adding this book to your family bookcase as well as a must for school libraries.
Teacher notes
Title: Last Bat of the Night
Author: David Gullan
Illustrator: Samantha Metcalfe
Publisher: CSIRO, $26.99
Publication Date: 1st August 2026
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9781486318728
For ages: 6+
Type: Picture Book
