THE EENSY WEENSY SPIDER FREAKS OUT (BIG TIME)
by Troy Cummings ; illustrated by Troy Cummings
A fresh, inventive debut presents an I-think-I-can version of the Eensy Weensy Spider. After the waterspout incident, Eensy is too shaken up to climb back up the spout again: “If I had a neck, I could have broken it!” Holed up after this embarrassing news spreads over the Internet, Eensy really needs the pep talk her ladybug friend Polly gives her. Advising her to start small, Polly sticks with Eensy as she, tentatively at first, climbs increasingly taller objects, reinforcing her efforts with positive comments all the way. A metaliterary attempt to end the tale fails when Eensy declares: “Wait! It’s not over yet! I can climb way higher than that!” And she proves to readers that indeed she can. The hip, retro artwork portrays a stylish argyle spider who accessorizes with a striped scarf and flower in her hair, a modified pageboy that usually conceals six of her eyes. A groovy alternative to the traditional nursery song, this not only models problem-solving but how to be a good friend as well. (Picture book. 3-6)