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We tell stories that capture the imagination, and kindle curiosity. Follow us for all things Walden Media and Walden Pond Press (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)!
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Baby skunks!

...Are the subject of our stop on the official blog tour for A Boy Called Bat

But first, a little background on A Boy Called Bat:

From acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold, and with illustrations by Charles Santoso, A Boy Called Bat is the first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum.

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.

You can find out more about the book, and download the official Educator’s Resource, on walden.comA Boy Called Bat hits bookshelves on March 14th - that’s next week! And to help you pass the time until then...

Let’s talk about baby skunks!

In A Boy Called Bat, Bat befriends a baby skunk whom his sister has dubbed “Thor” (pictured above in one of several adorable illustrations by Charles Santoso).

In actuality, baby skunks look like this:

And this:

And this:

(Yeah, I think Charles Santoso kind of knocked it out of the park with Thor)

In the book, Bat appoints himself official caretaker of the baby skunk, and finds in Thor a very cute and lovable friend. But before your run out to find your own baby skunk pet, let’s look at 5 fun skunk facts!

  1. First and foremost, keeping a skunk as a pet is actually illegal in most US states.  Some states where it is legal to own a pet skunk are Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Wyoming (and many more).  All of these states require a permit to own a pet skunk, though, so unless you are a skunk expert (like A Boy Called Bat guest star and actual skunk expert Dr. Jerry Dragoo), it’s probably best to stick to domesticated animals.
  2. There are 12 different species of skunk:
  3. Molina’s hog-nosed skunk
  4. Humboldt’s hog-nosed skunk
  5. American hog-nosed skunk
  6. Striped hog-nosed skunk
  7. Hooded skunk
  8. Striped skunk
  9. Indonesian or Sunda stink badger
  10. Palawan stink badger
  11. Southern spotted skunk
  12. Western spotted skunk
  13. Eastern spotted skunk
  14. Pygmy spotted skunk
  15. Skunks are endemic to all of the continental United States, Mexico, much of Canada, parts of South America, and much of Indonesia.
  16. Charles Darwin wrote about skunks, and their infamous odor, in The Voyage of the Beagle, while spending a night in Argentina: “We saw also a couple of Zorillos, or skunks—odious animals, which are far from uncommon. In general appearance the Zorillo resembles a polecat, but it is rather larger, and much thicker in proportion. Conscious of its power, it roams by day about the open plain, and fears neither dog nor man. If a dog is urged to the attack, its courage is instantly checked by a few drops of the fetid oil, which brings on violent sick­ness and running at the nose. Whatever is once polluted by it, is for ever useless. [Félix de] Azara says the smell can be perceived at a league distant; more than once, when entering the harbour of Monte Video, the wind being off shore, we have perceived the odour on board the Beagle. Certain it is, that every animal most willingly makes room for the Zorillo.” (source)
  17. According to Dr. Jerry Dragoo, even baby skunks can spray - although it’s more of a “poof,” Dragoo says, and the odor doesn’t last quite as long (from the PBS documentary Is That Skunk?):

And for a little bonus, here’s a skunk making friends with a kitten (courtesy of Animal Planet):

Now you know! Look for more skunk facts in A Boy Called Bat on March 14th, and in our Educator’s Resource online now.

And you can follow the rest of the Bat tour with our schedule below:

March 1 Read, Write, Reflect March 2 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust March 3 Bluestocking Thinking March 6 The Official Tumblr of Walden Media *that’s us!* March 7 For Those About to Mock March 8 Maria’s Melange March 9 Novel Novice March 10 Unleashing Readers March 13 The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia March 13 Mundie Kids March 15 Teach Mentor Texts March 19 Nerdy Book Club March 20 LibLaura5 March 21 Writers’ Rumpus March 22 Book Monsters March 27 Librarian’s Quest March 29 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers March 30 LitCoachLou March 31 All the Wonders
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Ahead of the book’s March 14th release, we are proud to present the official A Boy Called Bat Educator’s Resource! Composed with love and care by Sara Hoagland Hunter, Ed.D. (www.sarahunterproductions.com), and reviewed by Elizabeth Bartmess (www.elizabethbartmess.com), this guide aims to offer companionship activities to Bat that are accessible to students of all learning styles.  Download and explore the guide now at www.walden.com!

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Coming February 2017 from Walden Pond Press & author Elana K. Arnold: A Boy Called Bat

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 stray 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.

From acclaimed author Elana K. Arnold comes a story of first friendship starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum.

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