Children and adults alike respond to Cannon's artwork; the luminous, full-page, color illustrations are realistically rendered and convey lots of scientific information. Each text page has a tiny black-and-white thumbnail sketch that echoes the color page.

The premise of a bat trying to live with birds is humorous--a humor that is fully exploited in illustrations of the young bat and birds all hanging out of the nest by their feet, and in four small pictures of Stellaluna's attempts to land on a branch (something fruit bats cannot do). Some adults reading the book aloud, however, may find that the text lacks the vibrancy of the illustrations.

The lessons of self-acceptance and accepting others are demonstrated throughout the book: "Mama Bird told me I was upside down. She said I was wrong..." "Wrong for a bird, maybe, but not for a bat."

One children's librarian described the book as a wonderful selection for read-aloud sessions with four and five-year-olds, but noted that they "have to get into it." Before sharing the story, adult readers may want to spend some time introducing children to bats and setting the mood for a quiet, reflective story.

Readers who fall under the bat spell may also enjoy Randall Jarrell's delightful book, The Bat Poet, which also explores conformity.