Zach Dodson – 10 Books That Will Change Your Mind about Bats

Zach Dodson is an Austin-born writer, artist, and illustrator and author of Bats of the Republic, a wonderful out-of-the-box creation. Here is his list of books that influenced his love of bats.

Bats are frequently misunderstood creatures. Though often portrayed negatively as creepy or disease-ridden, they actually perform vital ecological roles — from pollinating crops to consuming massive quantities of insects that would otherwise require pesticide use.

Dodson’s novel Bats of the Republic is set in 1840s Texas when it was an independent nation. The protagonist is a naturalist documenting bat species through detailed drawings. The author emphasizes the urgency of bat conservation, noting that White Nose Syndrome has devastated North American bat populations since 2006, killing over 6 million bats and representing “the most precipitous decline of wildlife in a century.”

10 Recommended Books

1. “In Praise of Bats” essay in The Moon by Whale Light by Diane Ackerman — A lyrical introduction featuring bat conservationist Merlin Tuttle and an exploration of Bracken Cave near San Antonio.
2. Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures by Bill Schutt — Examines all blood-feeding creatures, including the only three vampire bat species out of over 1,200 total bat species worldwide.
3. Stellaluna by Janell Cannon — A beloved children’s book about a separated fruit bat learning that “it’s OK to be strange and different.”
4. Bat Bomb: World War II’s Other Secret Weapon by Jack Couffer — Documents a WWII military project to attach incendiary devices to bats for deployment over Japan (ultimately shelved).
5. Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block — A quirky 1980s Los Angeles story featuring the beloved character Weetzie.
6. Bat Ecology by Thomas H. Kunz and M. Brock Fenton — A comprehensive scientific reference covering pollination, echolocation, behavior, and aerodynamics.
7. Dune by Frank Herbert — Science fiction epic featuring bats as message carriers; influenced Dodson’s own desert-themed narrative.
8. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson — Landmark graphic novel that elevated superhero storytelling and visual narrative.
9. Bats at the Library by Brian Lies — Children’s picture book celebrating bats’ practical benefits, including protecting Portuguese libraries from destructive moths.
10. The Bat-Poet by Randall Jarrell — A children’s story functioning as metaphor for the isolated writing life, featuring Maurice Sendak illustrations.