Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Tale
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780689866807 |
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| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers |
| Publication date: | 04/27/2004 |
| Edition description: | Reprint |
| Pages: | 32 |
| Sales rank: | 280,964 |
| Product dimensions: | 11.00(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.20(d) |
| Age Range: | 4 - 7 Years |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Tale
4.5 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
4 reviews.
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This little book has it all, a sweet, sad tale, beautiful illustrations and a gentle moral lesson. Sophie the Spider is a magical little person that lots of people are not too fond of, but she stays sweet and kind and true to her art. In the end her masterpiece comes directly from this tiny being's huge heart as she weaves a web of kindness to include others. I especially loved the whimsical, lacey webs that our little artist spins and I know you will, too. This may encourage your little ones to look deeper before they judge others.
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Sophie is a special spider whose webs are works of art. She settles in a boarding house, and in each room she spins something spectacular for the people who frequent there, but no one notices the art that Sophie creates. Instead, they swat at her and run from her, and Sophie can take a hint. When she feels she's not welcome, she hurries to re-settle in a different area of the boardinghouse. Finally, after several years of uprooting and moving, she settles on the third floor of the boardinghouse, in a pregnant young woman's knitting basket. When she's discovered, Sophie prepares for the worst, since she knows she lacks the energy to relocate again. Surprisingly, however, the young woman didn't swat at Sophie, or run from her, or call Sophie ugly, gross, or disgusting. The woman just smiles. So, Sophie set about using every ounce of energy she had left in the rest of her spider life making a blanket for the new baby. The baby's first cry marks the moments when Sophie weaves the final strands of her masterpiece "with her very own heart," implying that Sophie passes away shortly after the blanket's completion. When the woman takes a worn, ragged quilt given to her by the landlady to use for her baby, she notices Sophie's masterpiece on the windowsill, and uses Sophie's beautiful, delicate blanket to swaddle her newborn.The fictional story has nothing technical to offer about spiders, but Sophie's character is easy to love. I feel that young students would easily develop sympathy for Sophie's plight and the heart she pours into her work, only to live her life unappreciated and despised. The book could be an excellent starting point for a discussion about the elements of storytelling and creative writing.
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The use of vocabulary is fantastic. The imagery is delightful. The story itself is sweet and although sad at the end a great way to introduce the circle of life to children.
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