Defying Mama Bat’s orders, Bailey sneaks out of their hollow tree to follow a mournful cry coming from somewhere deep in the forest. The sun is up and it's time for bed, but Bailey the Bat just can't sleep! Bailey discovers a young bull moose tangled up in an old fence. On one side of the fence, hunters roam. On the other side, a wolf pack is hunting. Both parties are looking for an easy dinner. Can a tiny brown bat save a big tangled moose? A debut picture book from award-winning radio host and journalist Grant Lawrence, Bailey the Bat and the Tangled Moose is a suspenseful story and the perfect adventure for children moving towards early chapter books. Fully illustrated and longer than a standard picture book, this is an excellent choice for newly emergent readers. Available in French as Charlie la chauve-souris et l’orignal mal pris . Gr 2-4-In this twist on the bedtime blues, nocturnal Bailey can't sleep in the daytime. Restless, disobedient, conflicted, Bailey flies into the forest in response to a plaintive cry. A young moose is caught in an old bit of rope, with hunters near in one direction and a pack of wolves in the other. Suspense! Bailey and the colony save the moose, and the hunters do not shoot the wolves. Bailey apologizes for leaving the roost, but is "grounded" (upside down), dreaming of more adventures. This first effort by Lawrence and Landry packs information about bats into an exciting tale with an intrepid heroine. The hitch is that the story is longer than a standard picture book, but the typeface is a bit small for emerging readers. Linocut digitally colored illustrations often use a bat's-eye sky-perspective, sometimes swooping down for a moose close-up, and, once, giving a wolf's-eye-view. The strong colors of the illustrations make this perfect for readers on the cusp of enjoying graphic novels. VERDICT This will find a home with adventure-loving independent readers who like a little science with their stories.-Patricia D. Lothrop, formerly at St. George's Sch., Newport, RIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “Beautifully written, suspenseful…An ideal shared read with younger students, one which provides opportunities to discuss themes, while also being an independent read for more advanced young readers.” ― CM: Canadian Review of Materials “Kind, brave, and resourceful...A satisfying adventure with a hint of more to come. Hooray for Bailey.” ― Kirkus Reviews “Perfect for readers on the cusp of enjoying graphic novels. This will find a home with adventure-loving independent readers who like a little science with their stories.” ― School Library Journal (SLJ) “The suspenseful text of this colourfully illustrated picture book would encourage discussion of rules and safety, friendship, and asking for help, as well as different animal features. It would make a good read-aloud or independent reading choice for students getting ready for chapter books.” ― BC Books for Schools Bailey just can’t sleep! Grant Lawrence is a popular CBC personality and the author of three books: Adventures In Solitude, The Lonely End of the Rink and Dirty Windshields . His first two titles won the Bill Duthie Booksellers Choice Award at the BC Book Prizes, marking the first time that the same author has won this prize twice. Grant is also a Canadian Screen Award winner, the lead singer of the Smugglers, a columnist for the North Shore News and the goalie for the Flying Vees beer league hockey team. He and his wife, Jill Barber, live in Vancouver with their two children. Noémie Gionet Landry grew up in a small coastal town in New-Brunswick, Canada, surrounded by the ocean. Growing up, she wanted to become either a doctor or a children’s book illustrator. Midway through medical school, she decided she would do both. She now splits her time between the hospital, where she works as a rheumatologist, and her home studio, where she sketches, draws and paints. She lives in Moncton, New Brunswick with her wife and son.