When I first read this book 10 years ago it blew me away. I was in
university at the time, and doing a children's lit course, and read
a number of award winners to supplement the 15 or so books we read
for the course. This book was one I picked up that summer and I
have been a huge fan of Kenneth Oppel ever since. This story is a
coming-of-age story; it is the story of Shade a young silverwing
bat who is the runt in his colony. During the annual migration to
the colony's winter roost, he is separated from his friends and
family. Shade sets out to find his colony and alone and desperate
he braves the outside world. As winter approaches he must find his
colony or a safe haven quickly, or else he will perish.
This book is very well written, told in the black and white world
of a bat and echo vision. The story is fascinating and the
adventure runs non-stop. The first time I read this I could not put
it down. This time through I took it a little slower and really
savoured the book. It won 11 literary awards and has numerous
sequels now. Pick it up for an excellent read.