BAT PAT VOL. 1

Three siblings and their pet bat investigate local spooky legends in Mueller’s middle-grade graphic novel.

Leo, Martin, and Rebecca Silver live with their talking pet bat, Bat Pat, in the quiet town of Fogville. At least, it’s usually quiet—but one night, while on a bike ride, someone is attacked by a witch. Bat Pat and Rebecca want to investigate, and Leo and Martin get dragged along (“Sometimes I really wish I was an only child,” complains Martin). As they question a townsperson about the attack, the witch dives down again, and Rebecca gets hold of the broom—along with a clue. Research at the library leads the crew to the witch’s cottage in the middle of the woods, where they learn that the witch, who is named Belisande, isn’t intentionally attacking anyone; she’s just bad at flying. Thinking quickly, the siblings affix wings—which function as “training wheels”—to the witch’s broom, and with a quick flying lesson from Bat Pat, all is well. If the trio can solve the mystery of the witch, they can certainly investigate the strange stories of people being chased by the legendary Headless Horace or the mysterious, monstrous creature stealing everyone’s food on the nearby Black Skull Island. Middle-grade readers eager for a fun read during spooky season will delight in this tale of Bat Pat and his human family. Walko contributes distinctive character designs that make each sibling unique, and the vivid color scheme pops. The siblings’ empathy for the plights of the witch, the headless horseman, and the Black Skull Island creature encourages younger readers to listen, not judge, and to offer help when they see someone who needs assistance. With Bat Pat and the Silver siblings on the case, no mystery will go unsolved, and no creature (no matter how scary they might initially appear) will go unaided in their time of need.

A fun mystery perfect for the Halloween season.