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ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSBixby Alexander Tam, a third grader who goes by Bat, loves animals more than just about anything. He lives with his mom, a veterinarian, and his older sister Janie in a small house in Quincy, and he finds most things about people harder to navigate than things about animals. One afternoon, his mom comes home late from work carrying a cardboard box with air holes poked in the top. Inside is a tiny, orphaned baby skunk kit, the only survivor after a car struck the mother. Mom says they can care for the kit for a month before handing him off to a wildlife rescue center, but from the moment Bat feeds the kit his first drops of puppy formula, he is determined to find a way to keep him.
Free Battle of the Books questions for A Boy Called Bat
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about A Boy Called Bat. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a veterinarian deliver a baby skunk after its pregnant mother is hit by a car?
✓ Answer
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
Bat's mom smelled a skunk on the drive to school that morning. That skunk turned out to be a pregnant mother who was hit by a car and brought to the vet clinic by college students on a bike. Only one baby kit survived.
- First half
In what book does a teacher say, "I believe in class pets," and keep a white angora bunny?
✓ Answer
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
Mr. Grayson introduced his class rabbit on the very first day of school. The white angora bunny looks like a giant fluff ball and lives in a pen near the bookshelves. Any student can visit her whenever they need to cuddle, no permission needed.
- First half
In what book do a teacher and student lay fresh straw in a rabbit enclosure that smells like summertime?
✓ Answer
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
While the other kids play in the rain at recess, Mr. Grayson invites Bat to help clean the class rabbit's pen. They scoop out the old straw and lay down a fresh batch that smells like summertime and sunshine.
- Second half
In what book does a poodle named Jeff escape a bath when a suction cup pops free from the wall?
✓ Answer
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
At the vet clinic, Laurence demonstrates his new suction-cup restraint by tugging on it, but it pops right off the wall. The shaggy white poodle scrambles out of the washbasin, and Laurence slips in a puddle of soapy water and ends up flat on his back.
- Second half
In what book does a sister refuse to take back a pajama top because it smells like animal?
✓ Answer
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
After Bat retrieves Janie's unicorn pajama top from Thor's enclosure and tries to hand it to her, she will not take it because it smells like the skunk. Bat points out it smelled like an animal before too, since it already smelled like Janie from the dirty laundry basket.
- Near the end
In what book does a father wear a different baseball cap for each team he roots for during games?
✓ Answer
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
Bat's dad has a collection of baseball caps on the top shelf of his closet. Whenever one of his teams is playing, he picks the matching cap and wears it the whole game. His dad says he does not believe in luck, but Bat thinks it sort of seems like he does.
