Customer Reviews

Spider's Lunch (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (All Aboard Reading)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This little book has beautiful illustrations and simple, descriptive text that makes it interesting and fun to read. Although intended as an early reader, my four year old LOVES this book, and I have read it over and over to him. A few days before we found it, we watched a real spider catch a fly in a web, which really made the book come alive for him. In this book, a spider builds a web, catches a fly for her lunch and catches a wasp and releases it. A male spider taps on her web, and we are told that the spiders mate. Later, the spider lays her eggs, and we are told that she will soon die. At the end, her eggs hatch, and the wind carries the tiny babies off to build webs of their own. Not only do children learn about spiders with this book, but they also are presented with the concept that life is a natural cycle. This book would be perfect for first graders who are doing a unit on spiders, or for families who are observing spiders at home.

This book is an early reader meant for preschool through first grade (Level 1). I can assure you though that kids a bit older will enjoy it just as much.

We have here a reader which is actually more than just a reader as it delves into the area of natural history in that is presents us with the complete live cycle of the common garden spider. Now I will admit that I am one of those people who happen to like spiders (I will actually capture the ones I find in my house and make a great effort to remove them unharmed to the yard or garden). Among spiders, the garden spider is one of my favorite and I have been watching these beautiful creatures since I was a little boy. They are colorful, lively and large - perfect for study.

An example of the text would be as follows:

"From far away
the spider looks small.
But up close
the spider looks big!
The spider has two fangs,
it can bite with them.
The spider has eight eyes,
But it cannot see very well."

The author takes us through the process of web building, catching its prey, mating egg laying and of course the wonder process of taking to the air via a sting of its web to find a new location and then start the process of life all over again.

The art work in this little book is extremely accurate and all of the spiders, insects, egg sacs and webbing look quite authentic. Chances are quite good that you will be able to find one of these spiders in your garden which will enhance the reading greatly. (It should be noted though that over the past several years I have noted that these spiders are becoming more and more difficult to find for some reason. They use to be extremely common; not so now...alas).

Anyway, this is an ideal book to incorporated a good reading lesson with a good nature study lesson.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks