Spiders

by Gail Gibbons

Weaving webs, digging burrows, and floating on strands of silk--spiders are fascinating creatures!

From tiny baby spiderlings to large tarantulas, nonfiction master Gail Gibbons' introduction to these intriguing arachnids reminds us that even when they look scary, most spiders are harmless--and even helpful!

There are over thirty thousand kinds of spiders in the world--small and large, colorful or gray--and they live, hunt, and adapt in different ways. A number of different species and spider behaviors are highlighted in this book, accompanied by clear, labeled illustrations and important vocabulary.

This new and updated edition, vetted by an entomologist, includes revised illustrations and the latest in arachnid science. Filled with interesting trivia and information on the history of spiders, as well as an explanation of the difference between spiders and insects, this is a great introduction that takes the fear out of our eight-legged, web-spinning friends.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Animals, Picture Books, Childrens, Halloween, Summer

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

From gailgibbons.com: I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.

Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.

Reviews

[Tamar...playing hooky for a few hours today · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous, intelligent, informative...I like a book that speaks intelligently and appealingly at eye level with toddlers and up (ages 3-103)!

...That is where I ended my review about an hour ago…but then here I am an hour later still thinking about this book that goes right to the scary (for many children and adults alike) heart of the subject and demystifies the spider. The author describes the ancient history of the spider, its life cycle, all the different types of webs that spiders spin (knitting patterns of spiders, if you will), the strength of the silk, how the silk helps trap its prey or helps it flee from its predators. The author gives the young reader an anatomy lesson whereby the reader learns the body parts and functions of the various body parts – and there is the added bonus of comparing the anatomy of the spider to the anatomy of other insects.

There are beautiful illustrations and explanations of different kinds of spiders, which ones are dangerous and where (what countries) they are indigenous. If you can make it through all 32 pages, you will even learn the true story of Little Miss Muffet and other interesting and true spider anecdotes!

So, actually, I came back to say, that this author should write a book demystifying prejudice and discrimination. But then I noticed that perhaps she did.

Thank you Edelweiss, Holiday House and Penguin Publishing Group for an ARC of the new and updated edition

[Jordan Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This informational book by Gail Gibbons begins by rationalizing the common fear of spiders. The book then shared historical information about spiders and how they come about. The book explains webs and how different spiders weave different webs. Next, the book provides some diagrams comparing spiders bodies to those of other insects. Included in this book are specifics about a few types of spiders and the cycle of their life.

The literary and artistic elements of this book are those commonly found in nonfiction books. There are numerous labels and diagrams. The vocabulary is that of science origin. This is definitely an informational text written for elementary aged readers.

I would rate this book with 5 stars if I am rating it on the information provided and the various types of illustration. If I were to rate the topic I couldn’t give spiders 5 stars. For a reader desiring to learn about spiders this book is very informative. It is very detailed and provides simple, but lots of information about spiders.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super great children's introductory to spiders! I liked it and so did my child. It was informative without being overly wordy. The pictures elevated the information on the page and vice versa, which is super rare. I usually feel like the pictures or text are distracting in children's non-fiction. But this was an even balance. Just enough info to make you want to learn more but not so much that you couldn't finish the book with a young kid.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gibbons writes books about the natural world in a way that is incredibly simple for youngsters to understand and yet also comprehensive. This book covered what makes a spider unique, several common types of spiders, several types of webs and how they work for the spider that spins it, and even some fun spider-adjacent lore. Little Miss Muffet was based on a real girl!

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Dad saw a large spider spinning an intricate web on our garage door.
That's what piqued my current interest in spiders.
This is a great book for children, but as a blind adult, it has made me even more curious. I want to find a book with more descriptions of spiders and their webs.

[Megan Swenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic for teaching kids about spiders! All of the information is kid-friendly and the illustrations are descriptive enough to teach kids without overwhelming them. I love books by Gail Gibbons in general and this book is another great one of hers.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, engaging, colorful.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple but interesting facts and illustrations that will keep kids engaged. Also, the random fact about Little Miss Muffet at the end of the book was a surprise and so interesting!

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic spider info. Manages to avoid sounding like a textbook.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and interesting.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not get sent the updated version (twice) but this is still quite wordy and not my favorite spider option for K.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written.

[Jaden-Ciera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informational Text - A basic book about spiders and their life cycle. It also talks about webs and different kinds of spiders.

[Rachel Asper]

I absolutely love informational books, especially about animals. Children love animals and are interested in this topic. In Gail Gibbons book "Spiders" she talks about facts about the arachnid. She talks about their habitat, what they eat, species, and their genders. Children can always benefit from informational books because these books contain a wide variety of information on the topic. The author supplied sources for the book and was very knowledgeable about the content, therefore making this book a great informational book. I enjoyed the setting in the book because the illustrator showed were the spiders live and the different parts of the planets. To incorporate this into my classroom, I would have the students, as a class, make a spider web out of string and tacks. We can design it in whatever way we would life. Then, we can cut out spiders and decorate them as well and glue or tape them to the web. This is a great activity that will permit students to remember this activity for a long time.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfortunately I waited too long to do this review. I don't remember it well enough. I remember really liking it and finding it very interesting. I believe it was a Level 2 or 3 book. Great for 1st or 2nd graders. I remember learning new things from it and the boys I read it to read it again on their own before they had to return the book to school.

Basically- if your child likes spiders or learning about animals this is a great book to help them start learning to read. :)

[Nancy Vu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very cute book about spiders. It shows us the anatomy of spiders, the different colors of spiders and which one are poisonous. it also have a history of spiders and how they came to be called arachnids. Grades k-3

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great non fiction 'all about' book. Each page has a colorful illustration of spiders and information below. Some pages are labeled for further details. Great as a research book on all you want to know about spiders with colorful pictures.

[Duke2026 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I think is that spiders are cool because thay have 8legsTHAY EAT INSECT'S IAN

[Melissa Housholder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational, non-fiction book about spiders. Wonderful descriptions and explanations on different types of spiders and what they do.

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 51288 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.9 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 51288 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.9 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not really big fan of spiders, but I like this book its about spiders and it shows many different kids of tehm. it is a gook for the kids and it is a good resource for science class.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very detailed book!

[Cecile · Rating 2 out of 5]

evolutionary dating, therefore a work of fiction; not what I was looking for