The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Dewey, Jennifer Owings

Once I Knew a Spider

32 pp. | Walker | May, 2002 | Trade ISBN 0-8027-8700-2 $$16.95 | Library ISBN 0-8027-8701-0 $$17.85

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jean Cassels. Pregnant with her first child, the narrator watches an orb-weaver spider spinning its web and laying eggs. Unlike most orb weavers, it lives through the winter, surviving until the spiderlings hatch. The narration uses some fairly sophisticated vocabulary, while smooth, mellow illustrations in a realistic style help convey the narrator's feeling of connection to the spider. An author's note about spiders is included.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert