Valerie arrives home late and reveals a newborn skunk kit to Bat and Janie.

Valerie explains the kit's mother was killed by a car and the family will keep the skunk for one month.

Bat feeds the baby skunk with a syringe and silently vows to keep the skunk permanently.

Bat begs Valerie to let him skip an Every-Other Friday at his father's so he can stay home with the kit.

Bat causes classmate Lucca to run crying to the bathroom by bluntly telling her Israel didn't want her sandwich.

Bat leaves a class game early to sit with Babycakes the class rabbit and calm his nerves.

Dad serves chili for dinner at his apartment even though he knows Bat dislikes it.

Janie proposes naming the kit Thor, connecting the skunk's Thursday birth to the Norse god.

Bat negotiates a compromise with Valerie that gives him full responsibility for Thor's daytime care.

Bat asks Mr. Grayson for help contacting skunk expert Dr. Jerry Dragoo and writes him an email.

Thor's eyes open for the first time and Bat greets the kit alone in the early morning darkness.

Mr. Grayson tells Bat that Dr. Dragoo replied but insists Bat wait until recess to read the message.

Bat reveals to his family that he contacted Dr. Dragoo and blurts out that he loves Thor.

Valerie tells Bat they can keep Thor at home until he is old enough to be released into the wild.

Israel visits, Bat allows him to hold Thor, and the two boys go to Bat's room to research skunks together.

When veterinarian Valerie brings home an orphaned newborn skunk kit, her son Bat immediately bonds with the animal and secretly vows to keep it forever. Despite the one-month deadline before the kit goes to a rescue organization, Bat works through every obstacle — negotiating with his mother, managing his emotions around the kit, and even contacting a real skunk expert by email. His determination pushes him to grow in ways he never expected, learning to compromise, consider others, and communicate more effectively. A pivotal moment arrives when the kit, now named Thor, opens his eyes for the first time, mirroring Bat's own emotional awakening. Bat's declaration of love for Thor to his whole family, and Valerie's decision to let the skunk stay, mark the resolution of the central conflict. The story closes with Israel's visit, cementing both Bat's friendship and his transformed relationship with the people around him.

The key events driving Bat's mission to keep Thor.

Bat discovers there are no vanilla or lemon yogurts left and angrily confronts Janie about eating the last one.

Bat reads his animal encyclopedia in his room and watches the clock count down until his mother is due home.

Valerie sets a cardboard box on the kitchen table while Bat whines, bounces, and sucks on his shirt collar in anticipation.

Mr. Grayson investigates the Lucca incident and asks Bat to look up at him, but Bat counts shoe eyelets instead.

During a rainy recess, Bat stays inside and helps Mr. Grayson clean Babycakes's enclosure.

The class is assigned a group volcano project and Bat takes over completely, refusing to let his groupmates contribute.

The family stops for hot chocolate after picking up Janie from school, and Bat spills his cup on himself.

Bat reads his animal encyclopedia late at night instead of sleeping and discovers the name Dr. Jerry Dragoo.

Israel approaches Bat in the hallway and asks him to play, but Bat replies only "Thank you" and walks away.

At the clinic, Bat watches Laurence bathe a poodle named Jeff, who escapes when the suction restraint pops off the wall.

Janie announces at dinner that she will audition for the Queen role in the school's Alice in Wonderland play.

Janie discovers her unicorn pajama top smells like skunk; Bat cries and Valerie teaches him to use the washing machine.

Bat runs into Israel and his parents outside the candy store and has an awkward, brief exchange before walking away.

At the candy store, Bat's bag of M&Ms spills across the floor after Janie says he is getting too attached to Thor.

Bat looks back across the room at Valerie smiling at him and returns her smile for the first time.

Before Thor arrives, Bat's daily life is defined by familiar routines and small frustrations, from missing yogurt to watching the clock for his mother's return. Once the kit enters the picture, secondary moments at school and at the vet clinic reveal how Bat navigates a world that doesn't always make sense to him. At his father's, small incidents like spilling hot chocolate and dropping M&Ms expose the gap between Bat and the adults who struggle to understand him. Scenes at the vet clinic — including a soapy poodle's great escape — and at school show Bat gradually building trust and finding comfort in structured, compassionate environments. Misread social overtures, a sister's theatrical ambitions, and a ruined pajama top add texture and warmth to Bat's journey. The pool closes with the quiet but powerful image of Bat returning his mother's smile, signaling how far he has come.

The everyday moments and secondary scenes that shape Bat's world.

While feeding the kit, Bat accidentally blurts out "I love him" in front of Valerie.

Valerie warns Bat that she will hand Thor's care to Laurence if the kit becomes too much of a distraction.

Bat pretends to be sick to try to avoid an Every-Other Friday at his father's, despite hating lying.

At dinner, Bat tells Janie she is "good at whining" as a genuine compliment and she storms away offended.

Bat overhears Janie tell Valerie that she cannot always pretend not to notice when Bat is being "weird."

Bat reflects on Janie's "weird" remark and realizes that Janie herself is weird in her own way.

Bat places Janie's favorite unicorn pajama top near Thor so the kit can grow familiar with Janie's scent.

Bat grows anxious knowing Laurence will care for Thor over the weekend and silently blames his parents' divorce.

Janie tells their father in front of Bat that Bat has no friends, and Bat insists Laurence and Mr. Grayson count.

Bat braids Janie's hair at his father's apartment and realizes that siblings can communicate without words.

Mr. Grayson quietly tells Bat that he believes Israel genuinely wants to be his friend, filling Bat with anxious new thoughts.

Israel and Bat read Dr. Dragoo's email together and reach opposite conclusions about whether keeping Thor is a good idea.

Janie tells Bat it took real guts to work so hard to keep Thor and says she supports him.

Valerie looks into Bat's eyes and tells him she sees his sweetness, thoughtful nature, and busy mind.

Bat studies Israel's hands before letting him hold Thor and discovers his unique ability to read people's intentions through their gestures.

Bat's emotional journey is driven by a series of revelations — moments when he discovers something new about himself, his family, or his place in the world. Early on, an accidental declaration of love for Thor and a failed attempt to avoid his father's reveal how deeply Bat feels things he struggles to express. Painful moments with Janie, including overhearing her say she can't always pretend he isn't "weird," force Bat to reckon with how others see him — and to realize that being different isn't the same as being wrong. Worry about losing Thor to Laurence and the sting of Janie's public remark that he has no friends push Bat toward decisive action, including agreeing to let Israel visit. A braiding session with Janie, a new reading of Dr. Dragoo's email alongside Israel, and the discovery that he can read people through their hands all mark Bat's growing self-awareness. By the end, Bat has found his own language for connection — and used it.