Spiders and Their Webs

by Darlyne A. Murawski

Overview

Spider webs that mimic flowers? A spider that "lassos" its prey? A web large enough to cover a garbage truck? These are just a few of the incredible "did you knows" kids will discover in the irresistible book about the fascinating and diverse ways spiders use their webs to trap prey.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780792269793
Publisher:	Disney - RHCB
Publication date:	10/01/2004
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.32(d)
Lexile:	900L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Darlyne A. Murawski is a biologist, writer, and award-winning nature photographer who is a regular contributor to National Geographic magazine. She has a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Texas and has done post-doctoral research at Harvard and the University of Georgia. She has a master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2001 Murawski won the Award of Excellence from Communication Arts for her photography and has twice been the finalist in the Alfred Eisenstaedt Awards for Magazine Photography. Born in Chircao, she currently lives in Arlington, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Murawski's big, sharp photos of the original world-wide webs introduce children in a memorably close-up way to the hunting strategies of ten spiders, along with briefer notes on spider silk's other natural uses. Young readers won't quickly forget what they learn from the simple, frank text, either: the ogre-faced spider "bites its prey then spits up juices that 'melt' the soft parts of the insect's body. The spider can hold its meal with its front legs and spin a new web with its hind legs-all at the same time!" The author also supplies common and scientific names, average size, and other basic facts for each example, then closes with lists of paper and online resources that are nicely tuned to the intended audience. Fascinating fare for budding naturalists. (Nonfiction. 8-10)

Kirkus Reviews