How to Find a Fruit Bat by Michelle Robinson and Lauren Tobia

How to Find a Fruit Bat by Michelle Robinson and Lauren Tobia
Buy How to Find a Fruit Bat by Michelle Robinson and Lauren Tobia at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: For Sharing
Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
Summary: A gentle tale of a young girl and her cat setting sail in a cardboard box. They're keen to find a fruit bat to eat all the fruit they don't want. As pleasant as everything is - particularly the illustrations - it lacks something to make it stand out from the crowd, but is still an enjoyable read.
Buy? Maybe	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 32	Date: July 2012
Publisher: Orchard
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1408308547
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A young girl heads out on an expedition to find a fruit bat. After all, who better to eat all the fruit that she doesn't want to eat? She gets her cardboard box boat ready, packing it with everything she'll need (including fruit for the fruit bat). On her expedition, she runs into all sorts of excitement and adventure, then sails home in time for supper.

I enjoyed How to Find a Fruit Bat - kids going on makeshift adventures always warms my heart. It's a gentle adventure that will inspire young kids to pack up a cardboard box with imagination and play at all manner of things. The main character is a sweet inspiration, and her cat is a great travelling companion. The mood is particularly set by Lauren Tobia's charming illustrations, that are sweet, funny and immersive.

As much as I enjoyed the gentleness of the tale, the anti-fruit beginning seems a bit mild. As such, the pro-fruit turnaround lacks a little punch. I can understand not wanting to inadvertently set a bad example to young children, but a bolder approach would make for better contrast. Dr Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham is the obvious comparison - the strength of dislike makes for a stronger conclusion. How to Find a Fruit Bat rightly treads a different path in many ways, and I wouldn't want it to be carbon copy. However, there is the potential for a book that could have stood out from other offerings.

The writing is accessible and clear for the young audience. There are hints of playfulness and alliteration, but then it reverts to standard prose. There's nothing wrong with it - like the story itself - but all the ingredients were there for something very special, rather than merely perfectly pleasant and good fun. Such criticism seems unnecessarily harsh, and it's not intended to put you off checking out How to Find a Fruit Bat - it's an enjoyable read for fruit-phobics and fruit-lovers alike.

For other fruit-based fun, check out Banana by Ed Vere and Nutmeg Says Yum! by Caroline Jayne Church.

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You can read more book reviews or buy How to Find a Fruit Bat by Michelle Robinson and Lauren Tobia at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy How to Find a Fruit Bat by Michelle Robinson and Lauren Tobia at Amazon.com.

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