WEB OPPOSITES

A book about opposites features spiders and their webs.

This concept book pairs single-word opposites that tell compelling mini-tales on each spread. Each layout presents two words—neat and messy, left and right, inside and outside. A spider appears in the illustration accompanying each word, as does its web (with the exception of a spread showing an “invisible” web). The tiny details delight: The illustration for night, which includes a spider in pajamas adorned with webs (what else?), depicts a spider snuggling a wide-eyed, petrified bug, sure to eventually become its prey. The illustration for high shows a web in space next to a proud astronaut spider, who waves at readers. The vocabulary ranges from simple words to ones somewhat complicated for the board-book set; there are the words small and big on one spread, yet attached and detached and clockwise and counterclockwise appear on two others. The depictions of the webs indicate movement and are visually interesting. A page with the word crowded showcases partying spiders, who enjoy cake, take selfies, and make music. There’s a heavy use of black and white on negative space, yet pops of color keep the visuals compelling. Little readers will love poring over the spiders’ antics and all of the ways the webs take shape.

Charming illustrations breathe new life into a familiar theme and spin a delightful, original tale.