Batty's efforts to impress visitors at the zoo fail, but he is determined to be popular like the other animals. First he goes to the penguin pool but the water is cold and he doesn't like fish. Then he tries the gorilla enclosure but he doesn't have any fleas for the gorillas to pick off him. He tries to laze in the sun with the lions but its far too bright for his sensitive eyes. When eventually he returns to his bat cave he finds that everyone else is trying to be like him, hanging upside down.
This clever and witty story is brought to life with Batty's upside down view of his surroundings, involving the reader in turning the book upside down with him. With its warm-hearted theme it is sure to delight readers young and old.