Description
Leslie Bulion, award-winning educator favorite and master of science poetry, is back with a humorous exploration of the silk-spinning, bungee-jumping, hunting, trapping, trick-filled world of spiders!
★ “Engaging and information rich, this is wonderfully well woven.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
Meet spiders that spit silk, roll like wheels, scuba dive, hide under trap doors, strum tunes, and so much more. Watch as they find mates, find prey…or find mates that become prey!
Award-winning poet Leslie Bulion and illustrator Robert Meganck team up again for this clutter (a collective noun for spiders) of short poems and humorously accurate illustrations celebrating the amazing attributes of Araneae.
The book is also packed with helpful sidebars, call-outs, and backmatter, including a glossary of science terms, a description of the poetic forms, a list of common and scientific names, a spider-hunting adventure how-to, resources for further study, and a relative-size chart. A feast for science and animal fans!
Reviews
★ “Cheerfully illustrated… As always, Bulion uses both evocative vocabulary and a variety of poetic forms; these are chosen with care and defined in the backmatter… Engaging and information rich, this is wonderfully well woven.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
“Abundant scientific information, poetry, and colorful cartoon illustrations…scientific concepts are clearly conveyed, incorporating lively, sometimes icky touches…the enthusiastic tone will help readers find plenty to engage, inform, and intrigue.” —Booklist
“Thirty-six poems in a variety of forms, paragraphs of information (in smaller-size type), and friendly (realistic but with hints of humor) digital illustrations together provide an effective cross-curricular introduction to spiders’ appearance, behaviors, physiology, diet, and defenses. The poems’ observations are sometimes lighthearted, sometimes thoughtful, and always enhance details in the accompanying text.” —The Horn Book
“Readers will want to devour the pages… The approachable and accessible verse will make adults and children want to explore the natural world and discover a clutter of spiders…. A fun collection of factual poetry to add to shelves.” —School Library Journal
“Notes on poetic form are on hand for readers who gravitate to the “A” in their STEAM curriculum, but the verses are also effective as mnemonic devices…teasing wordplay…and wry Gorey-esque bait for the spider grossout fans… Meganck’s digital artwork balances light-hearted cartooning with reliably detailed anatomical drawing.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Book
“Poet Leslie Bulion and illustrator Robert Meganck’s latest collaboration will please fans of their previous collections of science themed poetry. This title…teaches as much as it entertains… Meganck’s whimsical illustrations complement the light-hearted verse. Overall, this is a solid choice for libraries that will enhance both poetry and nonfiction collections.” —School Library Connection
More Details
F&P: U, Gr 5, Genre I
Lexile: 1170L
Themes: Animal Behavior, Arachnids, Ecology, Science Poetry, Spiders
BISAC 1: JNF003120 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Animals / Insects, Spiders, etc.
BISAC 2: JNF051150 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Science & Nature / Zoology
BISAC 3: JNF042010 JUVENILE NONFICTION / Poetry / Humorous
