Little Miss Spider [Hardcover]

David Kirk (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Little Miss Spider

When Miss Spider pops out of her egg, surrounded by brothers and sisters scurrying about, her mother is nowhere to be found - but kind Betty the Beetle is there to fill the role. "Just right for preschoolers or beginning readers, this reassuring story, complete with a surprise ending, is a charmer." - School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

How did the beloved Miss Spider begin her life as a spiderling? In this engaging prequel to David Kirk's Miss Spider books, the spider starlet herself has just popped out of her egg and is wondering where her mother could be.

"Did she squeeze down a hole?
Or dive underwater?
Why won't she come out here
And meet her new daughter?"

Little Miss Spider's plaintive cries are heard by a passing beetle, who offers her kind assistance. The search continues, and suddenly our heroine finds herself in harrowing danger. Will the one who loves her best save her in time?

Each book in Kirk's bestselling series, including Miss Spider's ABC and Miss Spider's New Car, explodes with brilliant, glossy color and charming personality. His shiny close-up oil paintings catch young readers like insects in a web (but with much happier results). Adopted children and those in nontraditional families may take extra pleasure in the message this flashback story proffers: your mother is the creature who loves you best--whomever that may be. (Ages 3 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

In a smaller, simpler format, the latest book about Miss Spider takes readers back to her birth and subsequent search for her mother. This winning tale puts a new spin on the subject, for the just-hatched little Miss Spider never locates her biological mother (fans of Charlotte's Web will know why). Instead, Miss Spider adopts as her mother the green beetle, Betty, who has been assisting Miss Spider in her search all along. As the text explains, "For finding your mother,/ There's one certain test./ You must look for the creature/ Who loves you the best." The pictures of Betty cupping the tiny, dewy-eyed Miss Spider (with a cute oversize head) in her hands and bathing her in a walnut shell are heartwarming. In addition to a happy ending, the book offers danger and adventure: Betty narrowly saves Miss Spider from being fed to gaping-mouthed baby goldfinches. As always, Kirk's oil paintings glow with luminescent colors and, here printed on laminated pages, they closely resemble animation cells. Not only do Miss Spider fans now have a prequel, this tale will likely convert arachnophobes to arachnophiles, at least when it comes to Miss Spider. Ages 4-7. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439083893
• ISBN-13: 978-0439083898
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #184,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Adoption

More About the Author

David Kirk grew up in Ohio, USA, where he learned about insects and painting. He has been making toys and artwork for children for fifteen years and lives with his daughter, Violet, in New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Love of David Kirk, November 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Little Miss Spider (Hardcover)

I have been turned on to David Kirk since the birth of my youngest son who is now 2. Jake was given "Miss Spiders Tea Party" for his second birhday and we have both fallen madly in love with Miss Spider and David Kirk's exquisite illustrations. Little Miss Spider was a book I purchased just to complete Jake's set of books by this author and I do believe I love it the best. Little Miss Spider touches the emotions of any mother,adoptive mother, grandmother, aunt etc.. It shows the real meaning in being a mother and what makes you a mother. The first time I sat and read it with my husband I cried. It is the sweetest story of finding your mother I have ever read. The illustrations are fabulous as usual for David Kirk. I truely loved the feeling I got from reading it. Enjoy!

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book About Adoption!, August 18, 2000

By 

Maoming Mom "Ashley" (Northwest Arkansas, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Little Miss Spider (Hardcover)

I am shocked at the first "review" of this book from Sept 1999! This book is not disturbing in any way (except for maybe the big spider eating another bug for dinner). The message of the book is that our mothers "are the creatures who love us the best" whether those mothers look like us or not. I have two children, they both joined our family through adoption. Our youngest was adopted internationally. This book sends the wonderful message that my daughter does not have to look like me to be loved by and welcomed into our family. Children whom joined their families through birth can gain great insight from this book, it is not disturbing at all. Your are reading too much into this book if you believe our children will think they can be cared for by a beatle if they "tire" of us. This book is not about Little Miss Spider choosing other parents, it is about a mother who had love to give and a daughter who needed a mother. For the record, Little Miss Spider DOES find her mother. Just because her mother turned out NOT to be a spider does not mean she did not find her mother. There needs to be more education about adoption with all children (adopted and biological) and this book is a great tool to do so. It is especially helpful and educational if you are looking for a good book addressing international adoption! Enjoy this special book!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!!, April 11, 2001

By 

Linda Oconnor - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Little Miss Spider (Hardcover)

My daughter and I both love all of the Miss Spider books that we had owned before. The pictures are wonderful, as are the messages. Since my daughter was adopted from China, I was very eager to get this book, since it deals with two topics that are very real to us - adoption and the fact that we don't "look alike". When I went to order the book, I read all the customer reviews with great interest. The reviews can clearly be divided into two camps, those who are dealing with adoption issues, and those who aren't. This book is a great addition to the library of an adoptive family. However, I can also see how this book might make people who have formed their families through birth a little uncomfortable, since Miss Spider in the end does not find her birth mother. However, this is reality for a lot of children, and maybe the inclusion of this book in a childs library will help them to understand that families are formed in different ways, and your mommy and daddy really are the ones who love you the best, whether by birth or by adoption. Hooray for Miss Spider that she found her forever family!