WHERE DO SPIDERS COME FROM?

A little girl wonders how so many spiders invaded her house in this rhyming picture book.

Whenever spiders get into her house, a White girl puts them outside again. But every morning, it seems there are more spiders than before. Luckily, she’s not afraid: “They are my constant visitors of every shape and kind— / Because they’re mostly harmless, I never really mind.” She is curious, though, and she imagines spiders parachuting down her chimney, coming in the mail, and riding in on the cat. She describes all the places spiders appear before affirming that outdoors is their natural habitat. Schechter’s delightful rhymes capture the voice of a child. Some entertaining features before and after the poem, told in the voice of Freddie, the cellar spider (a daddy longlegs), offer further insights into the creatures. Illustrator Kalla makes her spiders cheerful and unintimidating for those who fear the arachnids. While at times the rooms seem overwhelmed by the creatures, the girl’s confident expression is likely to help readers keep their cool. The lovely mixed-media images also depict Freddie hiding on each page (the spider wears yellow rain gear to make him easy to identify), giving young readers a seek-and-find opportunity. The facts in a quiz—and notes about which parts of the poem are strictly imaginative—make this a useful resource for students hoping to learn more about these constant companions.

An inventive, fun, and beautifully illustrated celebration of spiders and all their virtues.