What do you think?
Rate this book
Who Would Win?
By Jerry Pallotta Tarantula VS. Scorpion
I wrote all these "Who Would Win?" books for boys who don't like to read.Of all the creatures I researched, the scorpion is my favorite. He has claws, he has a stinger tail with poison, he has pincers in his mouth and when he catches something he pukes on it. Wow!
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2012
9 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Pallotta
239 books111 followersMy full name is Gerard Larry Pallotta but my mom always called me "Jerry". I was born on March 26, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. My mom's name is Mary, and she came from a family of ten children. My dad's name is Joe, and he came from a family of five children. My grandparents were immigrants of Italian descent. I have the nicest parents in the world. They have always been unselfish and ready to help me, even today. I have four brothers and two sisters: Joey, David, Andrew, Danny, Cindy and Mickey. I have seventy-two first cousins. When I was growing up, there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 11, 2016
This book is disgusting! My son absolutely loved it. Chock full of facts about tarantulas and scorpions with both illustrations and photographs, this book and others in the series were written to appeal to "boys who don't like to read." There is a wealth of solid information here, as well as silly bits and questions to ponder. The picture of the boiled tarantulas (people eat these!) nearly put me over the edge...until I turned the page and saw the tarantula and scorpion babies.
I am thanking my lucky stars that I live in Massachusetts, a region not home to either of these heinous monstrosities...I will brave the snow any day! I hope I sleep tonight. Yuck!
I am thanking my lucky stars that I live in Massachusetts, a region not home to either of these heinous monstrosities...I will brave the snow any day! I hope I sleep tonight. Yuck!
Read
February 11, 2020The book who would win Tarantula vs scorpion is about the two arachnids and how the differ and how they are alike. It talks about the two and how the have different advantages and disadvantages like one of them has fangs the other a and sharp tail with poison. They both are arachnids and the are both have poison in them. At the end they both meet up and start to fight. The tarantula hops on the scorpion and the scorpion stabs the tarantula with its tail and kills it.
I thought the book tarantula vs scorpion was a good book but it was a little to easy and it was cool. It would be better if is was longer. This book would be good for someone that like arachnids and those kind of things. It would be good for someone that wants to know more about arachnids. And how they work and live.
I thought the book tarantula vs scorpion was a good book but it was a little to easy and it was cool. It would be better if is was longer. This book would be good for someone that like arachnids and those kind of things. It would be good for someone that wants to know more about arachnids. And how they work and live.
March 10, 2024
My young human, "H", who is currently 4.25 years old, and I had lots of fun reading this book together.
Before we started the book we tried to guess who would win.
We learned a lot about both scorpions and tarantulas; including the fact that scorpions BARF on their prey.!
And then, we battled!
More correctly, H and his Bubbe acted out the battle. He was the scorpion and she was the tarantula.
There was (pretend) biting and pinching and legs numbed by poison.
It was quite a sight to see in the Children's Department at the library. And I know that they inspired at least one other young human to check out the series.
Before we started the book we tried to guess who would win.
We learned a lot about both scorpions and tarantulas; including the fact that scorpions BARF on their prey.!
And then, we battled!
More correctly, H and his Bubbe acted out the battle. He was the scorpion and she was the tarantula.
There was (pretend) biting and pinching and legs numbed by poison.
It was quite a sight to see in the Children's Department at the library. And I know that they inspired at least one other young human to check out the series.
Read
February 19, 2020I hate this book it was bad and had barely information I would recommend it to some people but not all if it was up to me I would burn this book but the information in this book is still good and useful.
the knowledge in this book is good and tell you a lot about spiders and tarantula but on the beginning I knew everything about spiders and tarantula and what they do like how scorpions have venomous stingers. At all this books useless but I kinda liked it and hated it at the same time.
the knowledge in this book is good and tell you a lot about spiders and tarantula but on the beginning I knew everything about spiders and tarantula and what they do like how scorpions have venomous stingers. At all this books useless but I kinda liked it and hated it at the same time.
April 9, 2019
This was a fun children's informational book comparing the two creatures, both of which we have here in Arizona. He includes up close pictures of them as well as interesting facts. It is a book that children would find fascinating.
February 10, 2021
I was also set to be snobby -- which scorpion? Wouldn't Spider Vs Scorpion be more sensible? But then Pallotta picked a scorpion on the first page, so I deflated and just enjoyed learning about spiders and scorpions and laughing at the dad jokes and then settling in for the big battle.
September 23, 2023
While I disagree with the result of the duel detailed in this book, I will admit that my perceptions were based on reading it while watching an evening of giant bug movies on TCM that included a big tarantula AND a big scorpion.
October 15, 2018
i thought the tarantula won but he didn't. I like this book because I like nature (except spiders) and its interesting that the tarantula can not win a fight against a scorpion.
July 30, 2019
This book made me itchy and paranoid.
January 23, 2020
wow! I never knew a scorpion pukes on its prey!
January 12, 2021
my mom can't read this with me
January 31, 2021
My 3rd grader LOVES these!
July 25, 2021
Disturbing and remarkably graphic. Yuck.
It was pretty informative though. I didn’t know scorpions had more than 2 eyes or that tarantulas shed their stomach lining when they molt.
It was pretty informative though. I didn’t know scorpions had more than 2 eyes or that tarantulas shed their stomach lining when they molt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2022
I would say it has good facts that kinda are spooky
April 17, 2024
My daughter is in first grade and she checked out this book from her library at school. She really liked it.
November 8, 2025
Kids who find tarantulas and scorpions interesting might enjoy reading this compilation of facts about them.
November 13, 2023
My six-year-old nephew adores these books, and we enjoy reading them together. The fiercer the competition within the stories, the more he's captivated by them. This one is one of his favorites!!!
September 25, 2016
This series is just about irresistible, especially for elementary, intermediate, and middle grade males who are not particularly enamored with reading. The premise here is to choose two similar creatures, describe their physical characteristics, food choices, possible relatives, and fighting modes, and then pit them against each other to see which one will emerge triumphant and which one becomes the other's next meal. The book is filled with great illustrations showing the tarantula and the scorpion, even containing some photographs of humans noshing on tasty treats made from these arachnids. The only thing I wasn't particularly enamored by were the "Things Tarantulas Find Difficult" and "Places You Don't Want to Find a Scorpion," because of their silliness, but young readers will enjoy this aspect of the book as well as poring over its pages to see how large each creature's range is. This is a good addition to an elementary or intermediate classroom library.
October 27, 2016
Christopher and I read Who Would Win? Tarantula vs. Scorpion and totally creeped ourselves out. We were already grossed out by the giant spider facts and the scorpion babies, and then I accidentally brushed his leg with my hand, and he screamed and jumped. Then I laughed at him, and he started crying. It was hilarious.
The book is pretty cool, just like the others in the series, but it was a little too creepy-crawly for us I guess. The fight in this book was pretty cool. We both correctly predicted the winner.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/10/juv...
The book is pretty cool, just like the others in the series, but it was a little too creepy-crawly for us I guess. The fight in this book was pretty cool. We both correctly predicted the winner.
http://www.momsradius.com/2016/10/juv...
April 20, 2012
I liked it.
August 18, 2014
I picked the right animal but it had some really gross pictures.
November 22, 2017
Lots of fun facts about Tarantulas and Scorpions that I didn't know. A great book for 3-4th graders. I loved that the author invites the reader to write their own ending.
September 29, 2024
Field Guide 2024 - L
December 5, 2022
What a genius way to package non-fiction for kids.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews