Batcat by Meggie Ramm is a cute story about not being just one thing, but a mix of things that makes you, you and special.
Batcat has a problem. It is called a Ghost. A very annoying, obnoxious ghost. You see, Batcat wants to be alone. Drink their hot chocolate alone. Sleep alone. Eat alone. Watch tv alone. Play video games alone. And most importantly, when they have an ice cream craving, they want to go to the freezer and find their ice cream not eaten by above said ghost. When they go to the local island witch, she tells Batcat they must journey to three places to gather ingredients for a spell that will help them get rid of their problem. With a few puns, a few not-so spooky ghosts, Batcat’s journey takes them through many dark and spooky areas. Along the way they wonder if they are good enough since they are neither cat nor bat. And not very good at either one. But a chance encounter makes Batcat realize what is important.
The reader copy I read showed a few pages in full color. The art is simple and cute, but not overly detailed. There is what is needed, but nothing WOW. The color might become a bit too pink (if the examples are accurate), but that probably would be okay for most readers. In other words, it probably won’t be too “girly” for lack of a better word. I think the cover showing the anime style will be a plus for most readers who like comic/graphic novels.
I have several observations: maybe it is too sweet, but that is a nice touch too. It helps keeps the seriousness from being too overwhelming for the younger/aimed at crowd reader (at least first and second grade, but nothing is too bad, therefore, younger can be read-to or if they are able, read themselves). The language and format are modern and that will appeal to most kids. And while the author and character are non-binary, all can read as it is just a nice story about being yourself. And it does not matter if you are a bat, a cat, a skeleton, a ghost, a griffin or a batcat.
Read from a physical reader copy, this book is due late March/early April 2023