Good Night, Bat! Good Morning, Squirrel!

Tone can be a tricky thing in written communication, as anyone who has sent an email a little too hastily knows. The same is apparently true of notes written on leaves and mushroom caps, something that Squirrel discovers as she tries to get her unexpected new housemate, Bat, to vacate her tree nest. “Dear Bat, Leave my house!! Sincerely, Squirrel,” she writes after several previous notes are misunderstood by the good-natured Bat. But he doesn’t get the message this time, either, instead doubling the square footage of Squirrel’s nest—using extra leaves, of course. “I leaved your house. Hope you like it!” writes Bat, signing off his letter with a smiley face. Meisel’s (Run for Your Life!) digitally colored crayon and charcoal cartoons keep the mood light, even as Squirrel’s frustrations mount; eventually, she realizes that having Bat around isn’t so bad—what better roommate than one who doesn’t even share your sleep schedule? It’s a drily funny portrait of the rewards of opening oneself up to new opportunities and friendships. Ages 4–8. [em]Agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.) [/em]