Review of Batty Wings

[Josephe-Anne]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Batty Wings" by Marlene Rattigan.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Grandparents are the best storytellers. In Batty Wings by Marlene Rattigan, a grandmother tells her grandchildren a tall tale after one of them points out the loose skin under her arms. Children are curious by nature, so instead of being offended by the innocent comment, Nanna crafts a fantastical story, saying that the loose folds of skin are her “batty wings.” She jokingly claims that she uses her wings to fly around at night with her bat friends and keep an eye on things. From startling the family pet to encountering unwanted visitors, Nanna tells them all about her fictional adventures.

The cover depicts Nanna flying with her leathery wings over the house at night. I love the shades of purple used in the artwork. The book is filled with many other illustrations by Sergio Drumond. The story is told from the first-person perspective of JJ, the author’s grandson. The themes include humor and fantasy. There is no violent, lewd, or religious content in this book, so it is suitable for all children.

I love the colorful illustrations throughout the book. I also like the fact that this children’s story holds an important lesson for adults. As we age, it is normal for our skin to lose elasticity and start to sag. Many of us, especially women, tend to be hypersensitive when anyone points out this unflattering sign of aging. We can learn from Nanna as she takes it all in stride and makes a joke of it rather than obsessively trying to look younger. I really didn’t expect to find such a profound message in a children’s book. So, that was certainly a pleasant surprise.

There wasn’t anything I disliked about the book. I would only suggest that the author include a bit of educational content involving colors, numbers, letters, or shapes. Ms. Rattigan could also have made the book more interactive by posing questions to the readers, such as, “How many bats can you find on this page?” Apart from that, this is a lovely and well-edited publication in which I found no grammatical errors.

Therefore, Batty Wings by Marlene Rattigan deserves a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. This brief and simple story will hold a child’s attention and make them giggle. I recommend this book to children between the ages of 2-6 years old. It would be best if an adult read the book aloud to them.

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Batty Wings
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