11/01/2018
K-Gr 2—Eye-catching photographs and easy-to-read text highlight these eight-legged creatures. A description of the spider capturing prey opens each book, followed by facts about physical features, habitats, and a couple of key behaviors. The language will be accessible to early readers, with short, direct sentences and mostly simple vocabulary used throughout the series. Questions are posed to readers, and then answered, adding some variety to the narrative flow. Well-chosen photographs provide vivid examples of the basic information. A full view of a garden spider's web, for example, is followed by an excellent close-up of the spider's claws on a single strand, with scenes of captured insects shown on subsequent page turns. Images consistently support the content, providing useful depictions of spiderlings, body parts, and more. VERDICT Strong visuals and age-appropriate text make this a first choice for younger readers.
