The Kaz Windness Blog

Official Publisher Page Book 1HERE/in Spanish HERE, Book 2 HERE, Book 3 COMING SOON!
Book 1 ISBN: 9781665905053/Spanish Edition: ISBN: 9781665970631, Book 2 ISBN: 9781665947558

Signed copies at Boulder Book Store: Book 1 HERE and Book 2 HERE
Amazon: Book 1 https://amzn.to/4gCdNaH, Spanish Edition: https://amzn.to/4kNwxqp, Book 2 https://amzn.to/4gYPe7Z

All Kaz’s books and social media links LINKTREE

STAR reviews! Kirkus STAR review HERE, Bookpage STAR review HERE, School Library Journal STAR review HERE. “Bitsy Bat, Team Star” Reviews: Center for Children’s Books HERE.
AWARDS: Bank Street Best Children’s Book 2024,  Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award 2024-25, Editor’s Pick Feb. 2025 Best Children’s Book Amazon

Teacher Lesson Plans:

More BITSY BAT educational activities to engage students in conversation via ONLY PICTURE BOOKS: https://www.onlypicturebooks.com/2023/06/19/educational-activities-bitsy-bat-school-star-by-kaz-windness/ and PINTEREST: https://pin.it/1RZOmmh4f

Activity Sheets:

“Bitsy Bat, School Star” now has a soundscape at https://noveleffect.com/books/

Coming Soon! The Bitsy Bat Collection! This will launch with the release of “Bitsy Bat, Snow Star.”

Book Preview Trailer and Draw Bitsy with Me Activity: https://youtu.be/p6lHuuZNV3o

Draw Enzo video: https://youtu.be/d-lhUy9e_44?feature=shared

Bitsy Bat craft ideas and more activities on Pinterest: HERE

Bitsy Bat Media Kit:

Book 1, “Bitsy Bat, School Star” Summary: Bitsy is a little bat with big star dreams of making friends at her new school. But when she arrives, Bitsy doesn’t feel like she fits in. The other kids sit on their chairs, but sitting upright makes Bitsy dizzy. The other kids paint with their fingers, but Bitsy would rather use her toes. Everyone tells Bitsy she’s doing things wrong-wrong-wrong, so she tries harder…and ends up having a five-star meltdown.

Now Bitsy feels like a very small star and doesn’t want to go back to school. But with help from her family, Bitsy musters her courage, comes up with a new plan, and discovers that being a good friend is just one of the ways she shines bright!

Backmatter includes a More About Autism facts page, making this “a particularly helpful resource for all kids” (BookPage, starred review).

Book 2, “Bitsy Bat, Team Star” Summary: Bitsy Bat is a star student and the only fantastic flier at Crittercrawl Elementary…until a new nonspeaking student named Enzo Owl arrives and outflies her during recess. Bitsy worries her friends won’t think she’s special anymore, so she’s determined to beat Enzo in the upcoming Critter Games and prove she’s the better flier.

But when her friend Mo needs help during the race, Bitsy must choose between winning and being a star teammate. And while she’s at it, she just might discover that making a new friend is more special than any trophy.

This sequel to Bitsy Bat, School Star is told from an autistic perspective and celebrates how our differences make each of us shine brightly on our own and as part of a team.

Author-Illustrator Info. Why I wrote “Bitsy Bat, School Star” Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp-kzCfvO3V/

Pronounce Kaz Windness Recording TEACHINGBOOKS.NET Website: www.WindnessBooks.com 

BIO: Kaz Windness is an author-illustrator who loves to make her readers laugh. When she’s not writing or illustrating books, Kaz teaches writing and illustration at The Cuddlefish Academy and the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and enjoys making deep-dish pizza. Kaz lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, two children, and Boston terrier. She’s the author of picture books Swim, Jim! and Bitsy Bat, School Star. She also created the Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics Geisel Award Winning book Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends and the Level 1 Ready-to-Read Cat vs. Vac. Visit her at WindnessBooks.com.

“Bitsy Bat, Team Star” Blog Tour

Writer’s Rumpus Blog: https://writersrumpus.com/2025/02/25/interview-with-kaz-windness/
Bookstr: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGieG1ni_IA/?igsh=MWxuMWFtZXh0cjVkcA%3D%3D
Simply 7: https://jenabenton.com/2025/01/28/simly-7-with-kaz-windness-bitsy-bat-team-star/
Imagination Soup: https://imaginationsoup.net/interview-with-author-illustrator-kaz-windness/
Autism Stories Podcast: https://www.autismpersonalcoach.com/autismstories/episode/27e1360e/autism-stories-kaz-windness
Debbie Ridpath Ohi: https://debbieohi.com/2025/02/team-star/
Autism Live: Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/autism-live-2-3-25-kaz-windness/id827968203?i=1000688672021 YouTube https://youtu.be/zChTOmG5JU4?feature=shared
Welcome Neurodiversity: https://youtu.be/4UTktv-nx90?feature=shared

“Bitsy Bat, School Star” Blog Tour & Interviews & Videos

Cover Reveal Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cjifz_hPPD8/

Van Show Interview/Austin Public Library at Texas Library Association #TXLA23: HERE

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: https://debbieohi.com/2023/04/kaz-windness-2023/

A Novel Mind: https://www.anovelmind.com/post/kaz-windness-on-bitsy-bat-and-feeling-upside-down-sel-autism

Simply 7: https://jenabenton.com/2023/05/30/simply-7-with-kaz-windness-giveaway-bitsty-bat-school-star/

Unleashing Readers: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/26418

Growing Readers Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thechildrensbookreview

Deborah Kalb Books: https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2023/06/q-with-kaz-windness.html

Teaching Books: https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=86944 (interview coming)

YA and Kids Books Central: https://www.yabookscentral.com/author-chat-with-kaz-windness-bitsy-bat-school-star-plus-giveaway-us-only-no-p-o-boxes/

Book Tour and Events:

Upcoming Events:

TBD: Updated Regularly

Past Events:

Sunday, February 16, 2025, 11:30-1:30, storytime at 12. Book Launch at B&N Superior, Colorado.

NCTE in Boston, MA, Saturday, November 23rd, 2024
-1:15-2:30 PM Panel “Hope and Understand Between the Pages, Compassion through Picture Books”
-3 PM book signing at Simon & Schuster booth

Keynote Presentation, Bellmore-Merrick, Long Island, NY, August 28, 2024

ALA in San Diego, CA, Signing June 30, 2024

Denver Children’s Festival of Stories October 7th, 2023

Texas Book Fair and Reading Rockstars, November 10-12, 2023

NCTE in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 16-17, 2023

http://www.windnessbooks.com/meetkaz

#BitsyBat #BitsyBatBlogTour #autismawareness #autismunderstanding #autismappreciation