Spiders [Hardcover]

Seymour Simon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2003 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

How do spiders
make their beautiful webs?
What do spiders eat?
How many eyes do spiders have?
Are all spiders poisonous?

Seymour Simon provides the answers to these questions and more with visually arresting photography and engaging narrative presented in his precise manner. Readers will be fascinated with this up-close view of spiders in their natural habitat.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 2-5. The stunning cover may repulse squeamish arachnophobes, but fearless types will be fascinated by Simon's foray into the world of spiders. In his now familiar picture-book format that pairs incredible photographs with graceful, clear prose, Simon provides a wealth of information about different types of spiders, their characteristics, habits, and life cycles. The large, full-color, uncaptioned photographs of highly magnified spiders (a tiny note at the end of the book explains that the photos are not actual size) tempt browsers to look at all the pictures first, but browsers will soon be drawn to the text to learn about what they are seeing. What a neat trick! The only thing that's missing is a map showing the distribution of particular spiders; it would have been reassuring to see that fearsome species don't necessarily live next door. Chris Sherman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Seymour Simon has been called "the dean of the [children's science book] field" by the New York Times. He has written more than 200 books for young readers and is the recipient of the Science Books & Films Key Award for Excellence in Science Books, the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people, and the Educational Paperback Association Jeremiah Ludington Award. Mr. Simon lives in Great Neck, New York, with his wife.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (October 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060283912
• ISBN-13: 978-0060283919
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,868,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association). His free, educational children's app, SCIENCE FUN TO GO, debuted in the Top 10 of all free children's apps in the Amazon App store, and features in app purchase of original Seymour Simon eBooks, as well as a multitude of free content.

Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.

He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."

Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."

Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.

In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."

Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York. You can follow his daily nature walks and see his photographs from the field on Twitter (@seymoursimon) or on his Facebook group page. He also regularly hosts Q&As and sponsors book giveaways on GoodReads.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great informational book, June 29, 2011

By 

pedmeg (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Spiders (Paperback)

I bought this book for my son's summer reading. He loved it at the time, and continues to read it.