To distract himself and his little sister from the ugly sounds of his parents arguing late into the night, ten-year-old Jake tells imaginative stories. As a boy with webbed toes and large ears, it’s easy for Jake to pretend he’s a bat, a gentle winged night watchman. During the day, other problems worry Jake—his sister Cassie’s asthma, his performance in his special reading class, and how his family is going to stick together. However, Jake has a good amount of resilience, plus the supportive friendship of his goofy pal Luke and the watchful eye of his neighbor Mrs. Pittmon. He also builds a protective shelter hidden in the backyard hedge—a place called the “Dragon’s Nest” where he and Cassie can hide. While Jake’s reading and comfort at school begin to improve, life at home unravels to the point of physical violence. This tender novel shows the reflective and protective tendencies of a young boy as he finds ways to deal with the hurt, and hope, at the core of his family. (Ages 9–12)

With ears like a bat and webbed toes, it seems as if ten-yearold Jake could fly right out of reality into the freedom of his dreams. No more worries about asthma, special reading class, or his parents’ fighting—just sky. But Jake can’t simply fly away. There’s his little sister, Cassie, to tell stories to when the night sounds become frightening, amazing facts to learn from his best friend Luke, and a safe place—Dragon’s Nest—to build in the backyard.

This beautifully written middle grade novel tells the courageous story of Jake—a night watchman—a protector in the truest sense of the word who finds hope in crickets, friends, teachers, and dreams.