A Boy Called Bat
by Elana K. Arnold
A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where A Boy Called Bat is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Grade range
- Grades 3–5
- Age range
- Ages 8–10
- First published
- 2017
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781338274561
Where to find this book
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About this book
"For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises -- some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat's mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he's got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet."--Résumé de l'éditeur.
Why widely assigned
This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on neurodiversity and animals; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
Where this book is assigned
Young Hoosier Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
- recommended·5th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
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Common questions
- What grade level is A Boy Called Bat?
- A Boy Called Bat is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What curricula assign A Boy Called Bat?
- A Boy Called Bat appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is A Boy Called Bat banned in schools?
- A Boy Called Bat does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does A Boy Called Bat explore?
- Central themes in A Boy Called Bat include neurodiversity, animals, family. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 3–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.