Microbat Mayhem by Candace Lemon-Scott

Illus. by Aska. Eco Rangers book 2. New Frontier Publishing, 2019, ISBN: 9781925594829.
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Wildlife Conservation, Bats, Animal Rescue, Amusement Parks. The Eco Rangers, Ebony and Jay are best friends who are passionate about animal rescue and rehabilitation. They love working closely with Doctor Bat and Doctor Tan, vets at the local conservation centre who guide them in their animal care.
As a reward for their pelican rescue, they receive annual passes to the Super World Theme Park. Ebony's take charge attitude sees the duo ignoring the 'Do Not enter' sign at the old rollercoaster to save two baby microbats in the rubble. With the help from the vets, the Eco Rangers take the babies home to care for them. Risking danger, they return to soon to be demolished Wild Jungle Ride to discover a colony of microbats living inside.
They come up against a formidable opponent, Ms Pitts manager of the theme park, who wants the old ride knocked down quickly. At the hardware store where the friends are buying materials to make bat boxes, they overhear her discussion with the security guard who's purchasing baits, traps and poisons to wipe out the colony. The manager has broken her promise to hold off on the demolition for three weeks to allow the Eco Rangers to move the microbat colony safely. The tension and drama build as Ebony and Jay are forced into difficult actions to save the animals.
Author and wildlife lover, Candice Lemon-Scott's fast-paced narrative champions caring for our wildlife. With themes of friendship, animal rescue and rehabilitation and caring for our environment, Microbat Mayhem is an exciting read for middle primary students. The Eco Rangers series supports the Year 4 Science curriculum where learners describe relationships that assist the survival of animals and sequence their life cycles.
Rhyllis Bignell