Norman Space Bat by Jake Evanoff and Mark Nino Balita
Published: 2021
Norman the bat is kidnapped by a mysterious organization and branded for a classified experiment. He escapes, hitches a ride to space, and joins a team committed to saving the world from evil.
This story has plenty of twists and turns! It begins quietly on Earth with a game of hide and seek, includes a daring escape to space, and culminates in a battle against a powerful group of villains. Kids who enjoy plenty of action scenes and a story that gets to the point quickly will appreciate this book.
I appreciated the artwork. Mark Nino Balita works in a charming style that won me over even when the breathless plot got ahead of me. Norman’s facial expressions give him plenty of sincerity in every scene.
Dividing the story into chapters seemed unnecessary. The story is concise and as sparse with text as a picture book should be, so I don’t think the chapter divisions added to my ability to follow along. The ending suggested this is a superhero origin story with more adventures to come.