BOONE, NC – A new book weaves Boone’s history into a story and scavenger hunt to be enjoyed by all ages. The Bats of Boone, a children’s book by Alyssa Hughes, makes its debut in Downtown Boone at the Mast General Store on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Eight bats are your guides to different locations in Downtown Boone, including Town Hall, the library, the fire department, the post office, the Jones House Cultural Center, the Appalachian Theatre, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, and the Mast Store.
“The inspiration for this book and the project overall is Mice on Main in Downtown Greenville,” said Lisa Cooper, president of Mast General Store. “There are so many children and adults who have enjoyed the experience in Greenville, and I wanted people to have the same opportunity in Boone.”
The Mast Store is hosting a Bats of Boone kickoff event that includes the unveiling of the bats at each location (noon), a reading of the book by the author at Mast Store Boone (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.), and a group walking tour to each stop on the scavenger hunt (1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.).
Alyssa Hughes is the founder/owner of Barefoot Baby in Marion, North Carolina, and she is also the author/illustrator of Bats of Boone. “I wrote this book to help make Lisa’s dream come true,” said Hughes. “This will be a great way to engage the community and outside visitors in finding these amazing gems throughout town.”
In addition to the book, free scavenger hunts and coloring sheets will be available at each location during the launch.
"The DBDA (Downtown Boone Development Association) Board is excited to see the Bats of Boone take flight!” said Lane Moody, downtown development director. “This project will bring a playful new element to downtown while encouraging visitors and residents to explore, discover new places, and spend a little more time in our downtown. We love that it combines public art, placemaking, and a bit of Boone’s personality into an experience we hope people will enjoy again and again."
Readers and explorers will note ties to the area found in the names of the bats – from Watson, who is the Bat for the Appalachian Theatre, to Junie, the bat for the Watauga County Library. It’s not all fun and whimsy. Bats are important neighbors. The book has an educational section that works to dispel myths about bats and shares how people can be kind to bats to keep them flying (and eating lots of pests during their nightly flights).
“I look forward to seeing people take part in the scavenger hunt and learning about bats,” shared Cooper. “This is a project for the community, and I hope that the businesses downtown will join in and have fun with it, too.”
The schedule of events for Saturday, September 26, is
Noon – unveiling of the bats at each location
Noon – 5 p.m. - book signing by author Alyssa Hughes at Mast Store
1 p.m. & 3 p.m. - book reading by Hughes at Mast Store
1:30 p.m. & 3:30 p.m. - group walking tour with Hughes to each bat location
Coloring sheets will be available for each bat at its “home” location.
For more information, call the Mast Store in Boone at 828-262-0000.
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High-resolution images can be found HERE.