3.5 stars - I like Bat's character a lot! ( )

A young boy really wants to keep the skunk kit he discovers, despite his mother's objections.

I read this book over a year ago and forgot to write a review of it so this one won't be particularly good. I remember really wanting to read this book for years once it came out but never getting around to it for various reasons. Once I finally got to it, I was disappointed. I found the main character to be kind of obnoxious -- I'm not sure if maybe listening to the audiobook's narrator did that or if it's the way the character was written. I understand he was meant to be neurodivergent, but I didn't think this was a great portrayal of that in my humble opinion. I felt like he came across as bratty, which is unlike any neurodivergent child I've interacted with over the years.

The book was okay enough overall, but not enough for me to want to continue on with the series. ( )

First sentence: Bixby Alexander Tam stared into the refrigerator, trying to decide what to eat. He knew that the longer he took, the more energy he was wasting, and Bixby Alexander Tam did not like to waste energy. But he also didn't like to eat leftovers, or cheese that had to be sliced, or any of the yogurt flavors in the fridge.

Premise/plot: Bat (Bixby Alexander Tam) is having a not-so-great day. In fact, he's on the verge of a meltdown. His day begins to improve when his mom--an animal rescuer presumably--brings home a newborn baby skunk. BAT is super-excited to take care of it. He loves animals and animal facts. As the days and weeks pass, Bat becomes bonded. Can they keep the baby skunk as their forever pet? Or will they have to let him go to another rescue/refuge center?

My thoughts: Bat is in an interesting character. I do believe he is on the spectrum. Everything about this one felt authentic--his relationships with his mom, his dad, his sister, his teacher, classmates, etc. I loved the ending. Nothing is tied neatly in a bow, but there is potential--great potential for Bat to be in a good, happy and healthy place.

My sister recommended this one to me. She thought I would find Bat relatable. I did, I really did!!! So I'm very glad I checked this one out from the library. ( )

From the moment you come into this book and see that Bat is autistic, withdrawn, and curled in on yourself, you can get a real feel for his character. He's shy, he's unaware of others or their feelings. He likes certain touches, feelings, textures, and actions, he doesn't quite care about others or others feelings. It's clear he's got a long way to go and lots of time to grow.

Then in comes Thor, a baby skunk, and Bat is going to learn how to care for others and socialize better. He has to learn mannerisms and behavior, all with a shallow threat of the ticking clock. From a mile away you know he's going to keep this baby skunk. If not for book logic, than for actual real life reasons. Rescues are rarely released when they need so much intensive care. Often they are kept and raised by humans for their whole life, human exposure cannot prepare them for the wild and often makes them more at risk of being hurt.

This series is amazing, predictable and very blatant with where the plot will end each book, but it's good. It's a good book for teaching kids every animal has different requirements and if they ever want an exotic pet, they will have to work harder than they would with another one.

Skunks have been pets for decades and are wonderful animals, albeit near-sighted. This book leaves a lot to take away from it, and doesn't avoid addressing how complicated animal care can be or time consuming.

4.5 stars. ( )

This book is about a boy named Bat, he has autism. One day his mom came home late and he was very upset about it but she had something to show him. It was a baby skunk named Thor. Bat grew very attached to Thor and wanted to keep him. He did everything that he could to convince his mom to let him keep him. He faced obstacles but he got through them. He learned about his feelings and how to control them when he needed to and he even got comfortable enough to start to make eye contact with others.