I’m Not Scary

Looks are definitely deceiving in Kaduji’s warmhearted debut about a lonely little bat who can’t dispel the shadow-based misperception that he’s a scary monster who eats bears for breakfast. If only the other animals would venture deep into the forest to Bat’s gnarly old oak tree home, they’d discover that breakfast actually involves a spread of tasty delights that mild-mannered Bat bakes “for visitors that never came.” When little bear Beattie’s zealous fall foraging lands her at the gnarly tree, she winds up with a caring new pal—and fresh-baked apple pie. And the friends who come to Beattie’s rescue are similarly surprised by Bat’s kindness and culinary skills. An autumn palette of warm browns and oranges appears alongside cooler purple-blue nighttime shadows in the soft-edged images. Readers will find it hard to resist the expressive wide-eyed faces of the animal cast—and may find themselves hankering for cake. Ages 3–5. (July)