Spider Books

REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker
This extremely charming little story focuses on the path of discovery that a small caterpillar follows, beginning with being hatched from an egg to becoming a butterfly. Aware of his surroundings but not his purpose, he begins his trek up the nearby redwood tree to see if he can determine his reason for existence. Along the way, he meets several frightening but kind creatures--a grasshopper, a lady bug, a snake, a squirrel, an owl, and an eagle. Each of these new friends asks who he is and where he is going, and the caterpillar responds politely, telling them that he is looking for his purpose in life. They all comment on his slow pace but encourage him with their well-wishing. But will the caterpillar ever find the answers to his questions?

There are several things to like about this cute book. First, its good blend of simplicity and just enough repetition along with some challenging vocabulary make it a perfect book for a beginning reader to conquer on his own. Also, while it is obviously fictional, there is still some scientific information about the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. In addition, the story is a modern illustration of the old fable moral, "Slow and steady wins the race." Furthermore, youngsters will be gently encouraged to think about seeking out their purpose in life. Finally, the author's full-color illustrations are eye-catching and really help the reader visualize the story. This book gets a "thumbs up" from me.

The illustrations in this book are very colorful and detailed. My son loves it and brings the book to me all the time. The story line is very educational, teaching good values.

Damselflies of Alberta.
John Acorn has created a masterpiece that transcends its subject. A title like "Damselflies of Alberta" would ordinarily place a book into the category of "local interest", but Acorn has exploited this limitation to cover his subject completely. He is on a first-name basis not just with damselflies, but with the scientists who have studied them; and by showing that a substantial number of substantial minds have devoted a substantial part of their intellectual lives to damselflies, Acorn teaches us what is important. Not who is President of General Motors, or how much money the movie stars make - but nature. Just nature.
The photographs are unbelievable in their clarity and beauty, and in their instructive value. The paintings illustrating both sexes of every species of damselflies in Alberta would be a lesson for any author of a field guide.
Acorn describes the fantastic mating process of the damselflies, and describes a species where the male hauls the female out of the water, pulling her free of the surface tension after she has laid her (and, now, his) eggs on plant stems beneath the surface. He describes the primitive flight anatomy of the damselflies. There are limericks about many species. Everything about the book shows the intrinsic worth of life and living things.
Every page lifts this beautiful book beyond the limits of damselflies and Alberta, making it really a universal example of what might be done with every genus, and every locality on Earth. All are fascinating to anyone inclined to take the time to look, and all are important in a way that transcends "biological indicators" or possible medicines. They are the stuff of life. Read this book, and read Acorns "Tiger Beetles of Alberta". In their pristine humanity, they are an example for the whole world.
-William L. Abler

This is a lovely book, a perfect union of text and illustrations. Ryder deftly turns child-suitable prose into poetry: "lyrical" is simply the best word to describe it. As befitting a Sierra Club publication, she is ornithologically accurate in her portrayl of the Allen's hummingbird, and includes a useful discussion of hummers in general at the end of the book. Lopez's watercolors are every bit the author's equal. Each two-page spread is a delight to the eye, accurate in the details and evocative in feeling. And for those of us east of the Mississippi, there's something of a bonus. Since our local hummer is the ruby-throat, not the Allen's, and our flora and fauna are a world apart from the book's San Francisco locale, there's a bit of the exotic in this work. All in all, Dancers in the Garden is a very fine nature book for children and parents to enjoy together.

Dazzling Dragonflies, the latest Linda Glaser natural history book for children, nails the basic life-history of dragonflies. This delightful book uses kid-friendly language without compromising the facts. Illustrator Mia Posada's images are gorgeous and rich while still paying attention to the details of these complex insects. Several species are highlighted and there is an "appendix" at the end with answers to frequently asked questions about dragonflies (and info on the closely-related damselflies).
Teachers, naturalists and parents will find this book very useful for introducing young children to the life-cycle of insects with incomplete metamophosis (plus it's a fun read!).
Tops my list for kids' insect books.

Tons of fabulous pictures and information. Excellent for following the metamorphosis of a butterfly, especially if a class is doing this for a project. With help, second graders will thoroughly enjoy this book also.

I was saddened to learn that this book is out of print. I have given it as a gift on over a dozen occasions. It is a beautiful metaphor for growth (puberty, spiritual growth, attainment of intellectual understanding, maturity, ...) and death.

I find myself referring to this children's book when among adults (particularly parents of adolescents), often describing it in detail.

I have ordered a couple of copies from third party sellers on Amazon, in order to give as gifts (despite being used copies).

This is a beautiful, elegant, and gentle story.

As usual, El Autobus Magico does it again. This series are justgreat. Kids really love them and find them funny, creative andoriginal. This title in particular explains about the life of honeybees, the honey making process and everything related to honeybees. As it was expected, this books qualifies as a great book for teaching. is simple yet full of data. Want to teach nature? get this book!

I received my first Ruth Heller book in the late 1970's along with a set of markers and I've recently introduced them to my 9 year old son. The Insects & Spiders book was his first "Heller Experience" and now he's getting the remaining collection of books (Prisms, Fish, Geometric Designs, etc.) for Christmas. They're also a hit with every child in his class - boy and girl. I'm having parents call me asking where to find these books. You can't go wrong purchasing these books for any age child - even 34 year olds who still love to color.

Dirty Rotten Bugs? Arthropods Unite to Tell Their Side of the Story is a compendium of amazing true facts insects and spiders, from ticks to centipedes to bedbugs and much more. Humorous and cartoony color illustrations embellish this jauntily written tribute. Dirty Rotten Bugs? is sure to both educate and entertain young readers about these inordinately fascinating tiny creatures. Highly recommended for personal, school, and public library collections.