Bo the bat is a dapper little guy who wears a top hat, rides a bike, and loves talking to children — but they’re afraid of him, which saddens the sweet little flyer. He devises a plan to make kids like him — he swoops in to tell them all the fabulous facts about bats. He explains how they bounce sound off objects to “see,” as well as bats’ important role in spreading seeds and pollen so fruits and vegetables can flourish. Bo reminds the children that he and his fellows eat insects like mosquitos — spreaders of malaria, West Nile, and Zika — which ranks them amongst the best citizens of nature, and all they ask in return is a bit of friendship. The kids are happy to oblige as Bo escorts them trick-or-treating from house to house.

The last page of the book has a list of “Fun Bat Facts,” including that less than half of one percent of bats have rabies, probably the greatest misunderstanding about the winged mammals.

Lush illustrations by Zuzana Svobodova are the perfect accompaniment to Alma Hammond’s story aimed at children between the ages of two and seven.