The Spider Lady by Penny Parker Klostermann illustrated by Anne Lambelet**

 I read a review of this book in World magazine and was intrigued.

What an amazing woman Nan Songer was!! She raised spiders to harvest silk for crosshairs for gunsights during WW II. This book details how she learned their habits, fed them, and harvested their silk. Her perseverance with her "hobby" is inspiring!

Nan Songer's family granted the author permission to read through her unpublished journals to enrich this story.

**Highly, highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider by Jessican Lanan*

 The illustrations in this book are incredible. I hope the Caldecott committee recognizes and honors Ms. Lanan's talent. 

Ms. Lanan effectively demonstrates how amazing jumping spiders are as she invites the reader to imagine if they could perform the jumping spider's feats. Although the words are informative and poetic, I think I enjoyed the illustrations the best.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Little Miss Muffet-Flip Side Rhymes by Christopher Harbo illustrated by Collin Jack

One side of the book shares the familiar nursery rhyme from Miss Muffet's point of view. Flip the book over, the spider tells his version.
Very simple text.
A  text to introduce point of view.
Other titles in the series: Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill and Little Bo Peep.
Borrowed from the library.

I'm Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton*

In an amusing fashion, the author/illustrator shares how she is fearful of spiders and has a tendency to smash them.  The reader journeys with her as she tries to convince herself to love spiders as she focuses on their amazing traits.
The end pages display illustrations, names and one interesting fact about many spiders.
There is an interactive aspect to this book (hint-smashing!).
*Highly recommend.
A must have for all elementary school teachers who teach an unit about spiders-tons of facts mingled with humor and fun!

Heroes in Training #8 Cronus and the Threads of Dread by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams*

My son finished this book in one morning!  This is his review:
Athena was suppose to be smart but was not smart without her thread of cleverness.  They discovered that Cronus was their father.
They beat the spiders, another creature of chaos.
*Highly recommend.

Just Itzy by Lana Krumwiede illustrated by Greg Pizzoli*

When Itzy goes off to Spindergarten, he does not want anyone to call him Itzy Bitzy.  "Just Itzy, please."  On his first day of school, Izy must spin a web and try to catch a fly but failure seems to be pursuing him.  The end of his day is surprising and satisfying.
Love all the references to classic spiders- Charlotte, Itzy Bitzy Spider, Little Miss Muffet, There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!
Strategies: connections (T-T), inferences

The Spider and the Fly illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi *

Mr. DiTerlizzi recreates Mary Howitt's  cautionary poem/tale into a captivating story with his black, gray, silver and white illustrations.  Simply amazing!  Humor is added via deceased bugs as they try to warn the sweet, naive fly.  A personal note from the Spider finishes the story.
A Caldecott Honor Book
*Highly recommend.