Celebrate Bat Week With an October 29 Author Talk

Madison, NJ – Alyson Brokaw, author of The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats, is coming to Madison for a Bat Week talk on Wednesday, October 29, at 7 pm at the Chase Room of the Madison Public Library. The talk and book signing is hosted by the Madison Environmental Commission (MEC) and The Nature of Reading Bookshop.

Brokaw, a behavioral ecologist and bat scientist, says bats are “woefully misunderstood creatures” who should not inspire fear or signal danger. Her talk, she says, will provide “a fresh introduction to these curious flying mammals” by explaining how bats “experience the world through unique senses, where and how they fly, the origins of their complex relationships with humans and how we can learn from them—not only to coexist, but potentially grow healthier and wiser together.”

Madison is home to six year-round bat species, including the federally endangered Indiana bat and the federally endangered northern long-eared bat.

“Bats are essential to our ecosystem because they pollinate plants, disperse seeds and control mosquitoes and unwanted insects,” says Claire Whitcomb, MEC Chair. “We’re lucky to have bats roosting high in tree branches and under flaky bark at the Drew Forest, the Conservation Forest at the Madison Recreation Complex and in homeowners’ yards.”

“We’re very excited to continue our Nature Lovers Speaker Series with the MEC and to help share Alyson’s rich knowledge of bats with the Madison community,” says Hailey Brock, owner of The Nature of Reading Bookshop. “We were also inspired by Alyson’s passion to put together another Bat Week event, a bat-themed crafting workshop, which will be taking place at the shop on Tuesday, October 28th, the night before the talk.” 

You can learn more about The Nature of Reading Bookshop’s upcoming events on their website.

After her talk, Brokaw will be signing copies of The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats. The event is free, but registration is required. Sign up on the event tab of www.thenatureofreading.com.