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Bridge to Bat City
After losing her mother, thirteen-year-old Opal B. Flats moves in with her uncle Roscoe on the family farm. There, she bonds with Uncle Roscoe over music and befriends a group of orphaned, music-loving bats. But just as the farm is starting to feel like home, the bats’ cave is destroyed by a big mining company with its sights set on the farmland next.
If Opal and the bats can fit in anywhere, it’s the nearby city of Austin, home to their favorite music and a host of wonderfully eccentric characters. But with people afraid of the bats and determined to get rid of them, it’ll take a whole lot of courage to prove that this is where the bats—and Opal—belong.
If Opal and the bats can fit in anywhere, it’s the nearby city of Austin, home to their favorite music and a host of wonderfully eccentric characters. But with people afraid of the bats and determined to get rid of them, it’ll take a whole lot of courage to prove that this is where the bats—and Opal—belong.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
Ernest Cline
19 books27.2k followersERNEST CLINE is a novelist, screenwriter, father, and full-time geek. His first novel, Ready Player One, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller, appeared on numerous “best of the year” lists, and is set to be adapted into a motion picture by Warner Bros. and director Steven Spielberg. His second novel, ARMADA, debuted at #4 on the NYT Bestseller list and is being made into a film by Universal Pictures. Ernie lives in Austin, Texas, with his family, a time-traveling DeLorean, and a large collection of classic video games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 19, 2024
This book was shit.
June 13, 2023
This is a weird and wonderful “mostly true tall tale” about how a recently orphaned girl named Opal B Flats helped a family of displaced bats find a new home under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas. This is an enchanting tale that weaves together fact and fiction set against the incredible backdrop of 1980s Austin, filled with a vibrant cast of characters, rich music history, activism and environmentalism, and bats!
Bridge to Bat City is the type of book I loved to read as a child; it’s a book about being an outsider—a weirdo, even!—but finding a place where you belong. Yes, I was the editor of this book and perhaps biased, but I truly love this book and hope you love it as much as I do!
Bridge to Bat City is the type of book I loved to read as a child; it’s a book about being an outsider—a weirdo, even!—but finding a place where you belong. Yes, I was the editor of this book and perhaps biased, but I truly love this book and hope you love it as much as I do!
May 9, 2024
I absolutely adored this book! Its setting is the Great State of Texas, so for a home -grown Texan like myself, it was a must-read!
The story of Opal, and a colony of displaced bats that she tries to save, is told in the form of a “tall tale.” There are scenes that will make the reader giggle out loud, and others that will bring a lump to the throat.
I think middle-grade readers would latch on to this novel, relating to Opal and her “misfit” status, and rooting for the bat colony’s survival. It could be a great teaching tool in a literature unit on tall tales!
The story of Opal, and a colony of displaced bats that she tries to save, is told in the form of a “tall tale.” There are scenes that will make the reader giggle out loud, and others that will bring a lump to the throat.
I think middle-grade readers would latch on to this novel, relating to Opal and her “misfit” status, and rooting for the bat colony’s survival. It could be a great teaching tool in a literature unit on tall tales!
April 25, 2024
The literary equivalent to the “how are you doing fellow kids” meme. But hey…at least the bats are cute. So that’s something.
May 8, 2024
I read this book because it takes place in Austin and I recently moved to Austin and I was looking for a feel good local story. The characters and plot were uninspired and uninteresting. It feels like Cline's books progressively get worse. I don't think I'm going to bother reading any of his future works.
This book is supposedly meant for middle schoolers, but having read other children's books this booked barely held my interest I can't image it would hold a middle schooler's interest.
It's a short book, but don't waste your time.
This book is supposedly meant for middle schoolers, but having read other children's books this booked barely held my interest I can't image it would hold a middle schooler's interest.
It's a short book, but don't waste your time.
April 27, 2024
I was listening to the audio version of this book. I had to stop about halfway through. I’m not sure it would hold the attention of middle readers.
May 11, 2024
“Wow, this book seems really bad”, I told myself more than once. “But I’m going to keep reading, because it’s Cline after all. As in Ready Player 1 Cline. You know, “that” Cline. So it’s got to be good, right? …. I’ll keep reading just a little more. I’m sure the ending will redeem it as a great novel. I bet there’s a hidden twist, something spectacular to make it worth the slog.”
Spoiler alert: There’s not.
I loved RP1, liked RP2, and enjoyed Armada. So imagine my surprise when I discover how genuinely bad this book is.
Ok, maybe this book is for a different audience. Let’s see if we can analyze who?
Well, it won’t be interesting for kids, who have never heard of ZZ Top or RunDMC. But it IS written as a child’s book with child’s pros. So it’s not really for adults either.
I think the target audience is for a total of six adults. Specifically those who have a deep love of bats, who grew up in the 80s, are intimately familiar with the city of Austin, love 70s and 80s rock and roll, and who read at a 2nd grade level.
If you associate with all of those categories, you might just like this. Otherwise, I suggest you skip this one and wait for Cline’s next release.
Spoiler alert: There’s not.
I loved RP1, liked RP2, and enjoyed Armada. So imagine my surprise when I discover how genuinely bad this book is.
Ok, maybe this book is for a different audience. Let’s see if we can analyze who?
Well, it won’t be interesting for kids, who have never heard of ZZ Top or RunDMC. But it IS written as a child’s book with child’s pros. So it’s not really for adults either.
I think the target audience is for a total of six adults. Specifically those who have a deep love of bats, who grew up in the 80s, are intimately familiar with the city of Austin, love 70s and 80s rock and roll, and who read at a 2nd grade level.
If you associate with all of those categories, you might just like this. Otherwise, I suggest you skip this one and wait for Cline’s next release.
April 20, 2024
Note overly sure who this book is for. Middle schoolers that love the 1980s music scene in Austen and don’t care about writing quality?
Edit: after rereading this book I am wondering even more who this is really for. Because the “facts” tend to either be a bit wrong or just surface level. Sure a kid who wants to read every book about bats (such as super nerdy me in middle school) will pick it up. But after reading it they will likely just go “well it was a book I guess”
Two stars due to mistakes of “facts”, not knowing who the audience would be, but also not offensive like some other books out there as far as I recall.
Edit: after rereading this book I am wondering even more who this is really for. Because the “facts” tend to either be a bit wrong or just surface level. Sure a kid who wants to read every book about bats (such as super nerdy me in middle school) will pick it up. But after reading it they will likely just go “well it was a book I guess”
Two stars due to mistakes of “facts”, not knowing who the audience would be, but also not offensive like some other books out there as far as I recall.
April 22, 2024
DNF. I tried listening to the audiobook for class, but the strong southern accent made this feel a bit too young for 6th grade. The main character is 13, which really doesn’t seem to fit the story. There is an audience for this, but I didn’t love the story and found myself falling in and out of listening.
May 4, 2024
Save yourself the torture of suffering through Cline’s terrible writing and simply read the Wikipedia list of notable people from Austin.
April 16, 2024
A bedtime story for children who have a grandfather who has always wanted to be asked "grandpa...who's ZZ Top?"
I honestly stopped reading halfway through, but I could see this being fun for a tween or a 65 year old man.
I honestly stopped reading halfway through, but I could see this being fun for a tween or a 65 year old man.
May 9, 2024
Read this for the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back. There are some sweet moments to this book, but it felt like it was constantly talking down to the reader, and at about the three quarters mark it basically becomes Forest Gump except localized just to Austin with the protagonist running into people like Molly Ivins and Ann Richards. The conflict is sparse, and I'm really not sure who this was written for. I don't think it would appeal to most YA or Middle Grade readers because its references are so specific to Austin in the 80s. I find it difficult to believe most readers in the target age range would care. It's like the book elbows you in the ribs and says, "Hey, Molly Ivins. Isn't that so cool?"
There's just nothing here beyond nostalgia. It's the same issue with all of Cline's books, it relies far too much on reflected glory, and in this case, I think the glory it tries to capitalize on is just too niche.
There's just nothing here beyond nostalgia. It's the same issue with all of Cline's books, it relies far too much on reflected glory, and in this case, I think the glory it tries to capitalize on is just too niche.
May 7, 2024
Kifejezetten jó "mese" kicsiknek és nagyoknak is simán, a néhány tragikus rész ellenére is pozitív és vidám tudott maradni végig. Szerencsére Cline egy adag (könnyen fogyasztható!) popkulturális áradatot is rakott bele, így maradt ez a mű is igazi Ernest Cline mű. Ernie, ha ezt olvasod, így már megbocsátok a RP2-ért 😄
April 29, 2024
This was such a sweet, fun story. Full of love of music, Texas, kindness, and finding where you belong.
May 9, 2024
It was the least Cline-y of all his books I've read, but still Cline-y enough not to warrant more than 3 stars.
May 13, 2024
It was certainly a kids book. Simple things explained repeatedly.
May 7, 2024
Frustratingly bad. Loose threads galore and a fake-out at the final chapter that sees Cline admitting that he wrote the entire book in the 3rd person to increase the suspense without a payoff.
I don't know who this book was written for, but Cline doesn't seem to think very much of them.
I don't know who this book was written for, but Cline doesn't seem to think very much of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2024
This book is bad, very bad. It’s promoted as Cline’s first book for kids, but if you think about it, (a) All his books are already childish, and (b) It’s still full of 80s nostalgia, so his real audience is still Gen X.
Here are some of the many reasons why this is a bad book.
- Cline evidently thinks his normal prose is way too lofty for a juvenile audience, so he dumbs it down considerably, grotesquely overstuffing his narrative with folksy expressions like “big old” this and that. He even acts as if words like “tailor” are fancy words that have to be explained. But Cline is the same author who made a name by glorifying juvenile chatroom insult-flinging. It needed no work to convince anyone he’s childish.
- Cline tries to build characters out of several of his bats, but it’s remarkably tedious, because the only differentiation he gives them is varying musical taste. Then again, this is Ernest Cline, so it’s easy to imagine him thinking that pop culture preferences are a personality.
- The love that the principle characters feel for the bats is odd as well. The words “furry little flying friends” come up several times, loading us down with tactile imagery, but the humans do not ever touch or hug or pet the bats in any way — not once. Can you picture yourself loving a dog without ever touching it? There’s a lot of complaining about the misconception that bats carry rabies, yet no character ever performs the one action that would show by example that they aren’t afraid of catching a bat disease.
- Then there’s Cline’s fawning over the Austin counterculture. It’s a boy crush sort of fawning that comes off like desperation to be accepted, and it’s frankly a bit icky. Here’s Uncle Roscoe telling 13-year-old Opal why Austin is a fabulous place: “The whole crazy town is filled with musicians, slackers, hippies, beatniks, outlaws, cosmic cowboys, and misfits of every stripe!” Super, right? Now ask yourself what you’d think if you had to choose a babysitter for your child out of that pool of applicants. Fortunately for Austin, most of the people who live there are boring, responsible adults, just like most anywhere else — but admitting that would not serve Cline.
- Did I already use the word “tedious?” Because, oh my god, Cline turns the repetitiveness in this book up to eleven. How many times must we read about bats attending a great concert? Only as many times as Ernest Cline wants to promote a musician he likes or pretends to like. And he will never get tired of doing that.
- Space aliens? Really? Yes. They appear once to enable a weird plot point, then are never seen again. It’s also implied that aliens deserve the credit for Buddy Holly’s musical talent.
- The utter laziness and lack of imagination. See “space aliens,” above. At one point, Cline decides to put his characters into front-row seats at a taping of Austin City Limits, then he feels a need to explain how they got there. How does he accomplish this? “Uncle Roscoe had called in a favor.” What? Why on earth would anybody owe this new-in-town deadbeat a favor? If Roscoe had a network of influential friends who owed him favors, wouldn’t the time to call them in have been before his farm got foreclosed and made him homeless? But we aren’t dealing with an author who thinks things through. This is merely a bad author who runs into an incredibly easy plot issue and doesn’t even bother to try.
- Cline bizarrely makes villains out of the Humane Society, describing them as “mean old bat catchers.”
- At some point in the reading, the senseless inanity became so overwhelming that I started hearing the narrative in the voice of Tommy Chong.
- The world-building and lore are simply awful. Why does he conscript real people like Anne Richards and Molly Ivins into his story, having them do things that would be utterly beneath them in real life? It’s more Clineian fawning, only now he’s moved from pop culture into the realm of politics and commentary. His pretend target audience (kids) won’t have a clue what he’s talking about and will ignore it, and half of his real target audience (nostalgic adults) will be turned off. I won’t take a position on politics; I’m only saying that if I wanted Party A to win an election, I would hire Cline to promote Party B.
Yes, this is a bad book. Are there saving graces? Only one, which is that Cline’s ineptitude is kind of funny and has inspired many entertaining videos and podcast episodes that expose it. But if you’re looking for a good story competently told, look elsewhere.
Here are some of the many reasons why this is a bad book.
- Cline evidently thinks his normal prose is way too lofty for a juvenile audience, so he dumbs it down considerably, grotesquely overstuffing his narrative with folksy expressions like “big old” this and that. He even acts as if words like “tailor” are fancy words that have to be explained. But Cline is the same author who made a name by glorifying juvenile chatroom insult-flinging. It needed no work to convince anyone he’s childish.
- Cline tries to build characters out of several of his bats, but it’s remarkably tedious, because the only differentiation he gives them is varying musical taste. Then again, this is Ernest Cline, so it’s easy to imagine him thinking that pop culture preferences are a personality.
- The love that the principle characters feel for the bats is odd as well. The words “furry little flying friends” come up several times, loading us down with tactile imagery, but the humans do not ever touch or hug or pet the bats in any way — not once. Can you picture yourself loving a dog without ever touching it? There’s a lot of complaining about the misconception that bats carry rabies, yet no character ever performs the one action that would show by example that they aren’t afraid of catching a bat disease.
- Then there’s Cline’s fawning over the Austin counterculture. It’s a boy crush sort of fawning that comes off like desperation to be accepted, and it’s frankly a bit icky. Here’s Uncle Roscoe telling 13-year-old Opal why Austin is a fabulous place: “The whole crazy town is filled with musicians, slackers, hippies, beatniks, outlaws, cosmic cowboys, and misfits of every stripe!” Super, right? Now ask yourself what you’d think if you had to choose a babysitter for your child out of that pool of applicants. Fortunately for Austin, most of the people who live there are boring, responsible adults, just like most anywhere else — but admitting that would not serve Cline.
- Did I already use the word “tedious?” Because, oh my god, Cline turns the repetitiveness in this book up to eleven. How many times must we read about bats attending a great concert? Only as many times as Ernest Cline wants to promote a musician he likes or pretends to like. And he will never get tired of doing that.
- Space aliens? Really? Yes. They appear once to enable a weird plot point, then are never seen again. It’s also implied that aliens deserve the credit for Buddy Holly’s musical talent.
- The utter laziness and lack of imagination. See “space aliens,” above. At one point, Cline decides to put his characters into front-row seats at a taping of Austin City Limits, then he feels a need to explain how they got there. How does he accomplish this? “Uncle Roscoe had called in a favor.” What? Why on earth would anybody owe this new-in-town deadbeat a favor? If Roscoe had a network of influential friends who owed him favors, wouldn’t the time to call them in have been before his farm got foreclosed and made him homeless? But we aren’t dealing with an author who thinks things through. This is merely a bad author who runs into an incredibly easy plot issue and doesn’t even bother to try.
- Cline bizarrely makes villains out of the Humane Society, describing them as “mean old bat catchers.”
- At some point in the reading, the senseless inanity became so overwhelming that I started hearing the narrative in the voice of Tommy Chong.
- The world-building and lore are simply awful. Why does he conscript real people like Anne Richards and Molly Ivins into his story, having them do things that would be utterly beneath them in real life? It’s more Clineian fawning, only now he’s moved from pop culture into the realm of politics and commentary. His pretend target audience (kids) won’t have a clue what he’s talking about and will ignore it, and half of his real target audience (nostalgic adults) will be turned off. I won’t take a position on politics; I’m only saying that if I wanted Party A to win an election, I would hire Cline to promote Party B.
Yes, this is a bad book. Are there saving graces? Only one, which is that Cline’s ineptitude is kind of funny and has inspired many entertaining videos and podcast episodes that expose it. But if you’re looking for a good story competently told, look elsewhere.
May 1, 2024
Ernest Cline’s best book yet! Also the one that most people will care the least about so that’s kind of a bummer.
For those who don’t know I’m the world’s foremost Ernest Cline scholar (not by choice) second only to my book club partner Ben. I’ve read his godawful poetry, his magnum opus (Ready Player One), and the crappy attempted movie-grab that he crapped out without any thought or energy or creative spark (Ready Player Two). I have also listened at length and in great detail on his failed-but-at-least-he-actually-tried book (Armada) in which he supposedly really, really tried hard and got crapped on by everybody for it.
His books aren’t gold, silver, or even bronze. But also see that up there? In the last paragraph? Where it talks about how Armada was a book he seemingly tried at and received tons of crap for? I’m kind of worried that’s what will happen here.
This book is the least Ernest Cline book he’s written (a positive for so many reasons). It’s the best written book in his collection as well. It at least tries to tell a story with set-up and payoff. Nobody just wins the day off screen like in some of his other books. The characters attempt to forge bonds with one another and get you, the reader, to care about them. There’s some real effort here. Solid effort. Just… tons and tons of effort by at least one person involved in the project. Really solid attempts all around even if it doesn’t quiiiiiiiiiiiite stick the landing.
Okay, praise over. This book still kinda sucks. But it sucks in a way where I think Ernest should at least know that he’s moving in the right direction. He didn’t get me to care about any of the music he references, but at least he tried (not necessarily succeeded) to say why he cares about it. That’s progress from Ready Player One and Two!
I guess what I’m saying is this: if he doesn’t want to hang up the ole writing boots and hobble into the sunset (what with the aforementioned being bad) we should at least tell him to keep trying. Keep improving. No, we shouldn’t praise this book like this wasn’t something that could have just as easily been done by any random no-name writer we picked off the street. We shouldn’t praise it like he hit a homerun and this is the best book we’ve ever read. We shouldn’t praise it as being really anything above baseline competence in several key areas. But we should praise it as being a step in the right direction and maybe after a few more books of this middling quality he’ll finally, FINALLY, be a good enough writer to produce some slightly-above-mediocre content.
For those who don’t know I’m the world’s foremost Ernest Cline scholar (not by choice) second only to my book club partner Ben. I’ve read his godawful poetry, his magnum opus (Ready Player One), and the crappy attempted movie-grab that he crapped out without any thought or energy or creative spark (Ready Player Two). I have also listened at length and in great detail on his failed-but-at-least-he-actually-tried book (Armada) in which he supposedly really, really tried hard and got crapped on by everybody for it.
His books aren’t gold, silver, or even bronze. But also see that up there? In the last paragraph? Where it talks about how Armada was a book he seemingly tried at and received tons of crap for? I’m kind of worried that’s what will happen here.
This book is the least Ernest Cline book he’s written (a positive for so many reasons). It’s the best written book in his collection as well. It at least tries to tell a story with set-up and payoff. Nobody just wins the day off screen like in some of his other books. The characters attempt to forge bonds with one another and get you, the reader, to care about them. There’s some real effort here. Solid effort. Just… tons and tons of effort by at least one person involved in the project. Really solid attempts all around even if it doesn’t quiiiiiiiiiiiite stick the landing.
Okay, praise over. This book still kinda sucks. But it sucks in a way where I think Ernest should at least know that he’s moving in the right direction. He didn’t get me to care about any of the music he references, but at least he tried (not necessarily succeeded) to say why he cares about it. That’s progress from Ready Player One and Two!
I guess what I’m saying is this: if he doesn’t want to hang up the ole writing boots and hobble into the sunset (what with the aforementioned being bad) we should at least tell him to keep trying. Keep improving. No, we shouldn’t praise this book like this wasn’t something that could have just as easily been done by any random no-name writer we picked off the street. We shouldn’t praise it like he hit a homerun and this is the best book we’ve ever read. We shouldn’t praise it as being really anything above baseline competence in several key areas. But we should praise it as being a step in the right direction and maybe after a few more books of this middling quality he’ll finally, FINALLY, be a good enough writer to produce some slightly-above-mediocre content.
April 19, 2024
You would be hard-pressed to find someone less likely to give Ernest Cline a charitable review than me. I hated Ready Player One. I loathed Ready Player Two. I genuinely dislike Ernest Cline as a person. If I didn't host a book podcast, I would not be reading this book. So when I tell you that I'm giving the author of "Nerd Porn Auteur" a lukewarm positive review of his children's book, please understand what Ernest Cline has achieved here.
I've heard Bridge to Bat City described as a middle-grade book, and I'm not sure exactly what counts, but I would say the target audience for this skews younger than middle school. Most kids over age 12 would find this juvenile, but within that 8-12 demographic I think it may do well. The biggest hurdle will be Ernest Cline's usual schtick of drawing on the pop culture of what would most likely be those children's grandparents. The story is set in 1980s Austin, Texas, with a particular focus on its music scene. While I personally think he chose some great musicians to highlight, I'm 36 years old and Muddy Waters died 5 years before I was born. I guarantee the kids do not know who that is. I do not know if they'll care enough to find out, but even as a Blues fan, I think it might be a stretch to try to get a 10-year-old to jam out to Hoochie Coochie Man.
What may hold the kids' attention are the titular bats. The main character's connection with the bats is genuinely cute. Opal is a likable protagonist without a trace of the cynicism of his previous main characters. The book is sweet, energetic, and celebratory of Austin's art and culture. I imagine there are probably a variety of ways for teachers to use this in a class considering its connection to music history, civics, and historical events. Overall, I think Ernest may be heading in the right direction. It didn't blow me away, but I didn't find it to be outright offensive.
I've heard Bridge to Bat City described as a middle-grade book, and I'm not sure exactly what counts, but I would say the target audience for this skews younger than middle school. Most kids over age 12 would find this juvenile, but within that 8-12 demographic I think it may do well. The biggest hurdle will be Ernest Cline's usual schtick of drawing on the pop culture of what would most likely be those children's grandparents. The story is set in 1980s Austin, Texas, with a particular focus on its music scene. While I personally think he chose some great musicians to highlight, I'm 36 years old and Muddy Waters died 5 years before I was born. I guarantee the kids do not know who that is. I do not know if they'll care enough to find out, but even as a Blues fan, I think it might be a stretch to try to get a 10-year-old to jam out to Hoochie Coochie Man.
What may hold the kids' attention are the titular bats. The main character's connection with the bats is genuinely cute. Opal is a likable protagonist without a trace of the cynicism of his previous main characters. The book is sweet, energetic, and celebratory of Austin's art and culture. I imagine there are probably a variety of ways for teachers to use this in a class considering its connection to music history, civics, and historical events. Overall, I think Ernest may be heading in the right direction. It didn't blow me away, but I didn't find it to be outright offensive.
April 21, 2024
This was fun. Although it starts with the loss of a parent, it starts a new life for Opal in a new location with her uncle. Southern Farm, the uncle, is a computer nerd and fun when he meets someone who doesn't find him weird. Making new friends: not just humans, they make friends with a colony of bats, saving them (she also can communicate with them). The bats also love country music, and there's a lot of information about Austin, musicians, singers, and music. The bats control the mosquito population, so it's a win-win when they find a new home. Love drawing and activism, changing people's opinions, and prejudice with information.
"The bats belong beneath the bridge!"
Fun.
The narrator or the audiobook has a great Southern accent.
"The bats belong beneath the bridge!"
Fun.
The narrator or the audiobook has a great Southern accent.
April 22, 2024
The only reason I waited until 66% to DNF this was that I was driving at the time and I didn't feel able to safely pull up something else to listen to. I have no idea who this MG novel is for, but it was definitely not for me. Repetitive, tedious, and with a very inauthentic feel to the writing. More of Cline's typical, endless 1980s nostalgia, which is going to play especially poorly with any current tweens trying to read this. A half-assed attempt to give the bats in the novel personality, but only by making them fans of different genres of music. A random, one-off mention of a UFO in order to further a weird plot point. Just kind of a mess overall.
February 10, 2024
It was such a special experience reading this book out loud with my son as we practiced our Southern accents, lol. We got it from our local indie owner who shared an early copy of it with my 8 year old avid reader who likes to talk books with the store owner. We LOVED the story, my son now wants to put up a bat house, visit the real bats in Austin, and I can't wait to make a playlist based on all the great song references in this book. Bonus that the author is one of my husband's favorites ...shout out to Ready Player One.
May 9, 2024
The author of Ready Player One writes a children's book. It's about a girl who suffers a tragedy and has to move in with her uncle. Then she has to up and move again to Austin, TX with a colony of bats in tow. It's very loosely based on the large colony of bats that live under a bridge in Austin, TX. It's fine. It's an easy read. It has a lot of made up scenes with famous Austin residents. Some things like Opal's ability to talk to bats is goofy as hell. This reads like a bedtime story that Cline used to tell to his children.
May 1, 2024
This book may be a middle-grade book, but it was on my “must-read in 2024” list. It is a tall tale about how the famous bats came to live under the Congress Bridge in Austin. Opal B Flats moves to Austin with her uncle after her mom passes away, and her uncle loses the family farm. They bring the bats with them from the Hill Country. So many famous Austinites and landmarks are mentioned. It was a fun, quick listen while driving around Austin.
May 6, 2024
Overall rather enjoyed the book. The Epilogue really does this book well too!
I hope this is a book that young readers get there hands on. It is a fun story that injects just enough of 80’s Music/Pop culture that would make them say “huh, I wonder who/what that is?” Potentially introducing the reader to new (old) things that they may enjoy. It could be the spark to ignite an interest in things from that era, all wrapped up into an interesting and fun story.
I hope this is a book that young readers get there hands on. It is a fun story that injects just enough of 80’s Music/Pop culture that would make them say “huh, I wonder who/what that is?” Potentially introducing the reader to new (old) things that they may enjoy. It could be the spark to ignite an interest in things from that era, all wrapped up into an interesting and fun story.
April 28, 2024
I enjoyed this a little more than I expected. I listened to the audiobook mostly, reading along with the physical book. I have trouble listening to audiobooks strictly, but I was able to put the book down quite a bit and just listen. Felicia Day did a great job. Her voice was exactly like the voice I made in my head when I first started reading it before including the audiobook.
May 1, 2024
Different but Fun
I have read everything pit out by Ernie, even met him once. Such a nice guy and talented author. This is totally different than anything else I have read by him. I ran the gauntlet of emotions while immersed in Opal's story - huh? Wow! Wait? Cool!. It was different but in a good way. It would especially be good material for pre-teens, but fun for us all.
I have read everything pit out by Ernie, even met him once. Such a nice guy and talented author. This is totally different than anything else I have read by him. I ran the gauntlet of emotions while immersed in Opal's story - huh? Wow! Wait? Cool!. It was different but in a good way. It would especially be good material for pre-teens, but fun for us all.
April 10, 2024
Funny and heartfelt middle grade tall tale that highlights the cultural and ecological history of Austin, Texas in the late 80s, with quirky 13-year-old Opal and a displaced colony of Mexican free-tailed bats at the center. Listened to the audiobook through Libro.fm’s educator ALC program.
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