Spider Books

Loved the book. The whimsical nature of the drawings is a perfect complement to the stories. Everyone (yes, adults, too) will love to bring out the crayons and indulge in some coloring book therapy.

I have read both Leo Hamilton's Collection I and Collection II and I especially enjoyed the second. I thought the idea of a story book to color was great and my child and I really enjoyed coloring the fantastic pictures together. It is so nice to have real quality illustrations in a coloring book. We're looking forward to the next book!

I have 3 children and they all love the book.Its not to often you find a book you can color in! The stories are simple and easy to understand.I reccommend this book to any child who loves animal stories and loves to color.

My niece gave this book to our 2 1/2 year old daughter and she just loves it. The illustrations by Jessica Larkin are especially wonderful. We can't wait for the next book to come out!

I bought 2 books for my kids and boy where they happy. They loved each story and colored pictures from the book, which now hang in their rooms. I recommend this book for anyone even adults. I colored some pages myself.

This biography is both well written and leaves you with a clear sense of the subject's personality. Almost the only comment on Louis XI I had read about before this biography was that he was clever and known as "the universal spider" for the webs he wove around people who opposed him.

What I hadn't known was that he'd lead a life of such extremes of good and bad fortune and that he effectivley broke the fedual nobles and bought France into a stabilised central monarchy within in his reign. In some respects Louis was the most unkingly of Kings and its a shame his common touch was lost with subsequent monarchs.

This is one of the best biographies I have read of a medieval monarch and it's well worth seeking out if you have any interest in the birth of the Renaissance and the end of Burgundy and the birth of France as we know it even today.

Philip the Good: The Apogee of Burgundy (History of Valois Burgundy)

Charles the Bold: The Last Valois Duke of Burgundy (History of Valois Burgundy)

Joan of Arc: Her Story

Louis XI is to be considered among the greatest kings of France, if not the greatest at all, because he set up the national French monarchy which was to last until Louis XVI. He created a powerful kingdom by subduing step by step the once unrulable feudal lords. And this he did mainly by the use of his cunning sagacious diplomacy rather than by the use of weapons. The "Universal Spider" actually employed the strategy of the spider, patience, diplomacy, cold blood, shrewdness and a calculating mind to win the realm from the clutches of the nobles and bound it forever to the Crown. When he succeeded to the throne in 1461 after the death of his father Charles VII, he found France in a state of turmoil. The proud and petulant lords of the Houses of Bourbon, Anjou, Armagnac, Brittany and, above all, the mighty Duke of Burgundy (whose posessions gathered not only the County and Duchy of Burgundy, but also Picardy, Artois, Flanders, Holland, Zealand, Brabant and Luxembourg) had joined in a so-called "League of the Public Weal" to overthrow him and regain their declining privileges. Before his dead, in 1483, he had crushed the nobility, their lands reverted to the Crown; he had got rid of the always threatening Charles the Rash, duke of Burgundy, and swallowed the whole Burgundian territories of France, and had avoided cunningly a second English invasion of France. By 1483 the king of France was the most powerful monarch in Europe and the richest. It was all possible due to the genius of Louis de Valois. The statesmanship of the "Universal Spider" made it possible. This books shows how, and it provides not only an accurate and very amusing lesson of the History of France, but also a valuable lesson in politics. Looks like very often the pen is mightier than the sword.

In LOUIS XI THE UNIVERSAL SPIDER, biographer-historian Paul Murray Kendall says the Burgundian chronicler Molinet called Louis "the universal spider" and the sobriquet unfortunately stuck. He says Louis was further demonized by 19th Century historians and writers who failed to do their homework. Louis XI was not so much spider as he was diplomat and peace-maker in an age when men looked suspiciously on such behaviour, and combat was viewed as the honorable and noble approach to settling disputes. Louis used his head and the end result was to bring the feudal era in France to a close and help usher in the modern world.

Louis reckoned the ceaseless bickering and fighting of the nobles was destructive to the health of the countryside and the people of France. The common people of the towns and villages agreed with Louis as did the merchants and tradesmen. Louis is not remembered for winning any great battles. The major reason Louis was so successful in defeating his enemies was owing to his understanding of finance. He understood that those who fight must finance their wars and without funds, their access to armaments and mercenaries evaporates. The clever king also understood that when the countryside is destroyed an army that crawls on its belly cannot fight.

Charles VII was the father of Louis XI, that same Dauphin whom Joan the Maid of Orleans managed to have crowned. The ungrateful Charles VII did nothing to save Joan once she had been captured by the English and the Duke of Burgundy, but the six-year old boy who became Louis XI never forgot the saint and he held a lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary after his encounter with her. When Louis was most pressed he prayed to the Virgin, and his monument to her at Clery still exists.

The Duke of Burgundy during Charles VII's reign was Phillip the Good, and when Louis XI ran afoul of his father, he sought shelter with Duke Phillip who sheltered him. Thus Louis spent a good part of his young manhood in the company of his dour cousin Charles the Bold who became the Duke of Burgundy on his father's death. Charles also became Louis' life-long enemy and it was Charles' man who slandered Louis by referring to him as "the universal spider."

Louis had one aspiration--to unite France in peace, and promote commerce and the general welfare of the people. Charles the Bold fancied himself another Julius Caesar--a warrior-king. Charles set about expanding his Duchy until Burgundy reached from the county of Burgundy near the Jura mountains to Flanders and Holland on the North Sea.

Louis was no warrior-king. While other lords ran around in ermine and velvet and jousted at tournaments, Louis donned the hunter's clothes and spent most days in the rural areas chasing animals with his hunting dogs and comingling with the common folk. When he wasn't hunting animals Louis collected them for his vast menagerie.

On most occasions Louis tried to make peace not war. He used his head, outwitted his enemies including the English king Edward IV, and at the end of his life left his heir Charles VIII a united France. Kendall obviously admired Louis and remarks that he was one of the most formidable human beings who ever lived.

I have been reading the series Alison Weir has been writing on the English nobility, and enjoyed reading LOUIS XI not only because I want to know more about the history of France, but because in reading about Louis XI, I was able to understand why certain exchanges, conflicts, etc. regarding Edward IV were important. If you found Alison Weir's book on the WAR OF THE ROSES intriguing, you will appreciate this book. Kendall's writing is comparable to Weir's and he has based his writing on his original research--though he is quite dependent on Commynes as are most of Louis' biographers.

I bought this book from Alibris, and I recommend you find a copy if you're interested in this period of history. I am puzzled as to why this book is out of print.

The nickname "Universal Spider" was not meant as a compliment to the French King Louis XI, whose supple mind and diplomatic skills allowed him consistently to outmanouever his enemies both foreign and domestic. Kendall puts an extremely entertaining writing style to good use in relating Louis' various showdowns with the French nobility, battles with Brittany, double-dealing with the rival English Yorkists and Lancasters, and blood-feud with the Burgundian Dukes - who so spectacularly reached the end-of-the-line during Louis' reign. Those parts dealing with Anglo-French diplomacy are particuarly interesting, given the author's other works on Richard III, Edward IV and Warwick the Kingmaker.

This is a terrific and highly readable biography of a fascinating and enigmatic ruler, set in a period of great political upheaval. Anyone interested in the details of "why" and "how" things happened - not merely "what" happened - will find this book immensely interesting.

Kendall's style is gripping, but he tends to be a partisan for his subject. At times, his bias becomes a little annoying, particularly where more than one "spin" could be put on a certain course of action. The reader must be careful to make his own judgements in many places.

That said, Kendall provides a wealth of quotes from contemporary sources, and his scholarship is unquestionable. This is a great book, covering a time and place that is too little addressed in most popular histories.

I read this book to my class of first graders and they really loved it. We read it during character ed and talked about how some of the characters did not use self-control. The illustrations are gorgeous. I was a little worried about how the kids would react to the main character being a cockroach, but they just thought it was funny. I bought it because it was a Pura Belpré Medal award winner and I'm trying to have more multicultural books in the classroom.

This book is wonderful! I can't wait to read it with my Adult ESL students. I know they will love it too, and maybe they'll read it to their children. It's fun to read, beautiful to look at, and so imaginative. Everyone should have such a wise and wonderful Abuela!!

Both the story and the illustrations are captivating. Our four grandchildren are great fans of Carmen Deedy and have all her books. They were thrilled to add this one to their collection.

We ADORE this Carmen Deedy book! I think it our 5 year olds favorite book (next to Tree Man!) We had the most wonderful experience listening to Carmen Deedy this fall. She is a wonderful story teller and really engages the audience, adults and children alike. She has a talent with words and really uses them well. Every single girl/woman should try the coffee trick when looking for "the one." Buy all her books.... you wont be disappointed.

Gorgeous artwork. This is basically a beauty-is-as-beauty-does story, but told with a light hand.

My grandson is totally in love with Miss Spider Books. He carries them around with him all the time. When his dad tells him to get a book to read at bedtime (or anytime) he ALWAYS gets one of his Miss Spider Books. He loves this one even more because the three book come in a case with a handle so it's easier for him to carry them around, where they slide and fall out of his little hands.

These are great books. I've bought them as gifts for several friends' kids. The pictures are colorful and beautifully drawn, the language is clever, and I keep noticing new little details every time I read them to my daughter.

I love every Little Miss Spider book for the wonderful stories, but especially the illustrations. David Kirk's angles and perspectives on each page combined with unique color saturate your visual senses. His use of "camera angles" and points of view are fantastic. He is one of the inspirations I use when I draw.

I was originally given Miss Spider's ABCs as a gift when my daughter was born. I LOVE it. Even when she was an infant she seemed to be captivated by the brightly colored illustrations. Now at 6 months she reaches for the pictures and always gives a big smile at the ending "suprise!" I then bought Miss Spider's Tea Party (board book edition), and she really seems to love the rhymes. I am now here buying Miss Spider's New Car and wishing I had just bought the set (for only like $2 more!) to begin with. These books are great for even babies, but I know she will enjoy them as she grows older and can understand them better as well.

Even after almost three years, I still love to read and re-read these books to my girls. David Kirk's artwork is rich and deeply textured and the words (particularly in Miss Spider's ABCs) are unusual, roll of the tongue, and, in my experience, pique children's interest -- I particularly love introducing my girls to "hummingbirds hide inside irises" and "jumping june bugs kiss katydids" His books are where poetry meets art for the under five set. Added plus: I get a break from chanting "Brown, Bear"! For this alone I am grateful.

In this colorful book, kids will delight in the tale of the pure, if someone what unlikely, friendship that develops between an old, lonely man and the house-trained flea he purchases from a petshop ("teeny tiny litter tray" and everything). The classic theme of friendships that break the usual mold is revitalized in this story by Mary Elizabeth Hanson with quirky and emotion-filled illustrations by David Webber Merrell.

While the old man is enjoying taking his tiny little friend to the movies, the beach and even a whale-watching cruise, the ever-skepital townspeople begin to whisper among themselves. "He's knotted his noodle." It's true that they mean well, but it seems that the townspeople would feel a bit more comfortable if they could actually see the pal the old man is chatting with.

This is a fun, fun book with a strong message about friendship that your kids will want you to read over and over. You'll gladly oblige.

Amazon is making a serious mistake in classifying this marvelous book a children's book. I will be 70 on my next birthday, and I fell in love with this book and bought it (full price) while visiting Taos, NM. I plan to share it with my grown children. The charm of this book lies in the inseperability of its wacky tale and fabulous illustrations. I predict that this combination of Mary Elizabeth Hanson and David Webber Merrell will take its place alongside Lewis Carroll and Sir John Tenniel.

This is a fantasic book, my kids loved it. The old man is warm and cuddly and the flea is cute. The illustrations are really good - large, bright and colorful.

Children aren't the only ones who will enjoy this book. Grown-ups will also appreciate the story and the delightful illustrations. Perfect to read aloud to grandchildren! The colorful,lively pictures hold everyone's attention and tickle the funny bone.

The title of this "little gem of a story" is what captured my interest, but the illustrations by David Webber Merrell stole my heart. Gentle lessons and laugh out loud illustrations are a wonderful combination to this feel good picture book. A lonely old man finds friendship and companionship in a most unlikley pet...and she is a lovely shade of purple with a saucy yellow bow on her head. This is one story you will want to read to yourself after you have read it to the children or grandchilden.

I bought this book for my daughter because she loved it so much that she brought it home from the library every other week. This book arrived pretty quickly. I was kinda of surprised. I could not beat the price and the book was in excellent condition even though it was sent in a plastic mailer. I would definately order from this seller because they ship in a timely manner and did not mislead me about it's condition. Very happy, daughter is too and thats all that mattered.

This is one of the most meaningful picture books I have read in a long time. The message is so important for children if our environment is to survive many more generations. My students have sat spellbound as I read this book out loud to them. The discussions afterward are incredible. This book is a must for all school, classroom, and home libraries.

John Clapp's illustrations are magnificent, and enhance a touching and moving story. The whole package is something to treasure forever. It is one of those books that children will remember fondly, and share with their own families in the future.

One of the most evocative children's books I've seen in years. The art is simply spellbinding---and the ending will touch all but the hardest of hearts. An unusual picture book in that it creates some real narrative and emotional tension along the way before winding up to a wonderful finish. My kids were leaning forward in anticipation.
A must for any Monarch lover.

A wonderful book! The highly original story works seamlessly with the astoundingly beautiful paintings to create a very powerful reading experience. It is a magical tale combined with an effective message about the real plight of the Monarchs.
Everyone I show this book to loves it; all are inevitably moved both by the story and the gorgeous illustrations.
The Prince of Butterflies is a very uplifting book that all ages can appreciate, and I think it's destined to be a classic.

Provides excellent background information for any teacher planning on doing a silkworm project. Pictures are excellent and parts of the book can be read to the class.

I bought this book to raise silkworms for my bearded dragon. I had no problems raising silkworms and in fact had way too many since I just had one bearded dragon!! Silkworms are amazing little creatures and I had fun raising them. I no longer do since my dragon is full grown and doesn't need the that much protein.

This book is the best book on teaching both young children and adults about silkworms. The photographs are wonderful!I use this book the most in school. The kids tend to pick this book up the most when I have the display of silkworms in the room.

I'm a Japanese and my hobby is making flowers from silk cocoon. Even though I deal many cocoons, it was my first time to see silkworms. Even in Japan, there is few opportunity to see real silkworms... This book tells me a lot about silkworms and silk farmers in Japan.

In the 15-30 minutes it takes to read "Silkworms," the reader has a good working knowledge of the life cycle of these silk-making critters. On page one, the introduction, the reader is hooked. In fact, the intro serves as a concise summary. Can I just read the introduction then? Absolutely not. The details are in the book.

Writer Sylvia A. Johnson and photographer Isao Kishida collaborated to produce a fascinating book for students, probably ages 9-13. Why this arbitrary age? Johnson discusses the mating cycle in fairly detailed anatomical terms. Parent, teacher, if this is a problem, you now know it.

The book explains that silkworms are totally at the mercy of humans because they have been farm-raised for centuries. As silkworms go through their various stages, farmers handpick any deformities and discard them. Only perfection is allowed. The final stage before becoming moths is the death knell: pupae are destroyed, leaving only the much desired silk cocoons which are used in making silk. A few moths are left to hatch in order to mate and begin the process anew. Males dies shortly after mating.

This story, well-written and expertly photographed, is an example of a perfect pairing of text and photo to present an informational book for students. If the reader wonders why there is no explanation for making silk into fabric, that is not the focus of this book. The focus is the life cycle of silkworms. Highly recommended for school libraries and nature lovers.

AS a director of a nursery school, I am always looking for wonderful books..."Snug As A Bug" is just that!

We began reading this book to our daughter when she was brand new. Now it is one of the few she requests with regularity and repeats the words along with us. She loves the colors and the details of the bugs in their pajamas, as well as the short sentances she has memorized and shares in the storytelling.
A great book for all parents, and a beautiful message of safety and security for kids of all ages.

This book is absolutely wonderful. My 3 year old loves it and he even knows the words by heart. The pictures are outstanding and the rhymes are very easy for small children to follow and remember. This is a very enjoyable book.

This book is "cute as a bug." The illustrations show various bugs in their PJs going to sleep. My 19 month old daughter asks for the BUG BOOK every night. Only complaint: the illustrations are done on white paper; a blue background might have added a more night-like setting.

I buy books for my grandkids, ages 4-6. They have been read to since birth and all love books. I am the "Book Grandma" so they get a book for each occasion. I am so please with this book, they giggle and laugh at the words and illustrations. I would highly recommend for this age group and also for new readers.

Except that I had asked for vol. 3 the same day, and still have not it yet...

When I decided to pick up the Ultimate Spider Man compilations, I did so with reservations. So many friends had praised the book, but it was hard to believe the old, tested Peter Parker could be modernized in an effective, refreshing way.

Leave it up to writer Bendis...the guy can do no wrong.

This is a spectacular (no pun intended) update on a classic hero and worth every penny. A great book for old fans and new readers, who will both be absorbed after few pages. Good stuff.

Having been a huge fan of Amazing Spider-man since the age of 6, (1967 and still read it today!) I wasn't sure about the Ultimate series. I was pleasantly surprised! The story of Peter and his alter-ego has never been better. The artwork is outstanding. The stories stay true to the spirit of Spidey and still adapt it to the modern world that teens reside in today. It may sound incredibly strange, but Spider-man was the hero and inspiration that got me through the tough high school years. If I was a teen today, Ultimate Spider-man would provide the same service. This is a must for any true Spidey fan.

This book showcases 14-27 and has spideys battle with Doc Ock(my favorite villan,kraven the hunter(if your a fan of his beware). It shows a sneak peek of ultimate sandman.Then there is the return of the green goblin and a great fight that includes nick fury and a history of Osborn. when gobby throughs M.J over the bridge you think its Gwen stacy all over again. Buy this book.

This second volume in the hardcover collection of "The Ultimate Spider-Man" brings together the third and fourth trade paper back collections, or, if you go back to the originals, issues 14-26 of the comic book. First up is "Double Trouble" (14-21). Just when I thought the game plan with regards to the love life of his alter-ego Peter Parker was to go directly to Mary Jane Watson, passing Betty Bryant and Gwen Stacy, when scribe Brian Michael Bendis drops the latter into the action. This version of Gwen is big on the mascara and perfectly willing to pull a switchblade on a bully, both of which are completely valid reasons for Peter to have his eyes pop out of his head when he looks at her. Not even her police Captain father can reign in this blonde tornado.

At this point in the comic book the stage is merely being set for the impending love triangle, but I have to tell you that what is happening here is clearly a take off on "Dawson's Creek." Seriously. Peter is Dawson, Mary Jane is Joey, and Gwen is Jen (No, Flash is not Pacey; Kong is closer to being Pacey than Flash, but Peter Parker does not have a friend, which means Harry is not Pacey either). This should prove to be interesting, especially given that Mary Jane already know's Peter's big secret. But at this point the main problem is that Aunt May has an over inflated opinion about her nephew's love life. Yes, things might actually be worse for our hero this time around.

The title of "Double Trouble" has to do with the fact that Spider-Man has not one but two villains after him (I was going to say two super villains, but that would not be the case). The new and improved bad guys this time around are Doctor Octopus, who has come out of his coma to discover his tentacles are fused to his skin, and Kraven the Hunter, who is now a reality television star from Down Under. Clearly, the more you know about the original Spider-Man comics and his various foes the more you will enjoy Bendis's refinements and provocative changes. At the end of this collection Spider-Man enjoys his biggest moment in the sun since the spider bit him, which quickly follows with a particularly low moment for Peter. Even when we think we know the rules of the game, Brian Michael Bendis continues to surprise us.

"Legacy" (#22-26) and continues the "re-imagining" of the character, this time with the new and evolved Green Goblin and the question of Peter Parker's secret identity. It is the latter that is becoming one of the defining features of "Ultimate Spider-Man." The recreation of the Green Goblin in the mode of the Hulk makes sense to me; I always had a bit of a problem with the idea that insanity and a costume could allow the Goblin to slug it out toe-to-toe with Spidey (note the armor upgrade of the Goblin's costume in the blockbuster film version). But even more impressive is the way Bendis reworks the whole secret identity issue between the two; a lot of super villains have found out the secret identity of their arch enemy, which almost always involves an attempt to kill the superhero in question. However, the Goblin has a different plan, of sorts, for Peter. At the end of "Double Trouble," the Volume 3 collection, Spider-Man actually enjoyed a moment of glory. Of course it is all going to get dashed big time in this collection.

As is the case with the previous collections, "Legacy" plays off of our knowledge of what happened in the first ten years or so of "The Amazing Spider-Man." The result is what might be the biggest shock he is ever going to throw our way and if you every think Bendis has gone too far this may well be the point. While your jaw is dropping at that point do not neglect to pay attention to the double look at a pivotal conversation between Spider-Man and the Green Golbin that Bendis creates; that was a nice little replay he threw into the mix.

Mark Bagley continues to provide the distinctive pencils for the series with Art Thibert's inks (sometime aided by Erik Benson); hopefully this partnership with last longer than the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko partnership. For those of us who have a comprehensive understanding of the Spider-Man mythos it is impossible for "Ultimate Spider-Man" to really stand on its own terms because we can also see the additions, deletions, and alterations. But if your familiarity of the good old days comes mainly from the movie, then I can certainly see where you could enjoy this all at face value.

At this point in the series Peter has told Mary Jane Watson that he is Spider-Man, but Norman Osborn knows the big secret, the Kingpin and Electro have seen Spider-Man unmasked, and Doctor Octopus is mumbling Peter Parker's name in his unconscious state. In "Legacy" we discover that somebody else knows the secret as well and that this has some rather significant implications for our hero when he turns eighteen (Peter is still about sixteen at this point). One thing you have to say for the story Bendis is spinning here is that he is always on the edge in terms of his re-imaginings. You might accuse him of going too far, but you cannot dismiss this series as a pedestrian reinterpretation of the Spider-Man saga. To date, I like it a lot.

Both my toddler and grade-school age son enjoy this book - on different levels of course. The pictures are simply beautiful and my toddler just enjoys paging through looking at them - getting the basic idea that a caterpillar becomes a butterfly (maybe). My older son obviously understands more but also enjoys the pictures. You'll get a lot of use out of this one.

This book contains a lot of information, a lot of words, and it's not written in verse. Yet, despite the absence of rhyme, my 2 year old son LOVES this book. He asks for it constantly. Perhaps having read Dr Seuss' My Oh My! A Butterfly! has piqued his interest in butterflies. Regardless, due to my son's love of the book, I give it 5 stars.

"Where Butterflies Grow", is a very informative book with many great pictures. I used it with elementary students when I did a unit study on butterflies at the beginning of the school year. It was well received by students and the material was well presented and easy to understand.The pictures were above the average.

This book tells the complete story of the life cycle of a butterfly, beautifully illustrated. My 6 year old loves it. It is a perfect compliment to your life science studies. The descriptions are also beautiful, almost poetic.

Lynne Cherry's illustration of this book are so realistic they look like photographs. The book has exceptional detail from the flowery meadow to all the creatures living in it. The poetic text and illustrations describe the life cycle of a swallowtail butterfly with great accuracy. A wonderful story for nature lovers.