Product Description

David Kirk's vibrant new picture book takes us back in time to the very first day of Miss Spider's life. With brothers and sisters scooting all around, she pops out of her egg. But where is Miss Spider's mother? Kind and caring Betty the Beetle gladly takes on the role. Written in simple rhyming verse, this heartwarming adoption story is sure to please Miss Spider's many fans.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26110 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780439083898
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
How did the beloved Miss Spider begin her life as a spiderling? In this engaging prequel to David Kirk's Miss Spider books, the spider starlet herself has just popped out of her egg and is wondering where her mother could be.

"Did she squeeze down a hole?
Or dive underwater?
Why won't she come out here
And meet her new daughter?"

Little Miss Spider's plaintive cries are heard by a passing beetle, who offers her kind assistance. The search continues, and suddenly our heroine finds herself in harrowing danger. Will the one who loves her best save her in time?

Each book in Kirk's bestselling series, including Miss Spider's ABC and Miss Spider's New Car, explodes with brilliant, glossy color and charming personality. His shiny close-up oil paintings catch young readers like insects in a web (but with much happier results). Adopted children and those in nontraditional families may take extra pleasure in the message this flashback story proffers: your mother is the creature who loves you best--whomever that may be. (Ages 3 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly
In a smaller, simpler format, the latest book about Miss Spider takes readers back to her birth and subsequent search for her mother. This winning tale puts a new spin on the subject, for the just-hatched little Miss Spider never locates her biological mother (fans of Charlotte's Web will know why). Instead, Miss Spider adopts as her mother the green beetle, Betty, who has been assisting Miss Spider in her search all along. As the text explains, "For finding your mother,/ There's one certain test./ You must look for the creature/ Who loves you the best." The pictures of Betty cupping the tiny, dewy-eyed Miss Spider (with a cute oversize head) in her hands and bathing her in a walnut shell are heartwarming. In addition to a happy ending, the book offers danger and adventure: Betty narrowly saves Miss Spider from being fed to gaping-mouthed baby goldfinches. As always, Kirk's oil paintings glow with luminescent colors and, here printed on laminated pages, they closely resemble animation cells. Not only do Miss Spider fans now have a prequel, this tale will likely convert arachnophobes to arachnophiles, at least when it comes to Miss Spider. Ages 4-7. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-A prequel to the earlier stories. Here readers meet Miss Spider on the very first day of her life when the little arachnid is quite alarmed that she can't find her mother. "Did she squeeze down a hole?/Or dive underwater?/Why won't she come out here/And meet her new daughter?" With a helpful beetle named Betty by her side, she sets out to locate her missing mom. But, alas, none of the other insects have seen her. Fortunately, Betty comes up with another solution that suits both herself and little spider. Kirk's lively, photo-clear illustrations are, as usual, appealing. The eye-catching yellow spiders, green-and-blue beetle, and red centipedes almost jump off the page with a striking three-dimensional effect. Just right for preschoolers or beginning readers, this reassuring story, complete with a surprise ending, is a charmer.
Rachel Fox, Port Washington Public Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Customer Reviews

A Love of David Kirk
I have been turned on to David Kirk since the birth of my youngest son who is now 2. Jake was given "Miss Spiders Tea Party" for his second birhday and we have both fallen madly in love with Miss Spider and David Kirk's exquisite illustrations. Little Miss Spider was a book I purchased just to complete Jake's set of books by this author and I do believe I love it the best. Little Miss Spider touches the emotions of any mother,adoptive mother, grandmother, aunt etc.. It shows the real meaning in being a mother and what makes you a mother. The first time I sat and read it with my husband I cried. It is the sweetest story of finding your mother I have ever read. The illustrations are fabulous as usual for David Kirk. I truely loved the feeling I got from reading it. Enjoy!

A Wonderful Book About Adoption!
I am shocked at the first "review" of this book from Sept 1999! This book is not disturbing in any way (except for maybe the big spider eating another bug for dinner). The message of the book is that our mothers "are the creatures who love us the best" whether those mothers look like us or not. I have two children, they both joined our family through adoption. Our youngest was adopted internationally. This book sends the wonderful message that my daughter does not have to look like me to be loved by and welcomed into our family. Children whom joined their families through birth can gain great insight from this book, it is not disturbing at all. Your are reading too much into this book if you believe our children will think they can be cared for by a beatle if they "tire" of us. This book is not about Little Miss Spider choosing other parents, it is about a mother who had love to give and a daughter who needed a mother. For the record, Little Miss Spider DOES find her mother. Just because her mother turned out NOT to be a spider does not mean she did not find her mother. There needs to be more education about adoption with all children (adopted and biological) and this book is a great tool to do so. It is especially helpful and educational if you are looking for a good book addressing international adoption! Enjoy this special book!

I love this book!!
My daughter and I both love all of the Miss Spider books that we had owned before. The pictures are wonderful, as are the messages. Since my daughter was adopted from China, I was very eager to get this book, since it deals with two topics that are very real to us - adoption and the fact that we don't "look alike". When I went to order the book, I read all the customer reviews with great interest. The reviews can clearly be divided into two camps, those who are dealing with adoption issues, and those who aren't. This book is a great addition to the library of an adoptive family. However, I can also see how this book might make people who have formed their families through birth a little uncomfortable, since Miss Spider in the end does not find her birth mother. However, this is reality for a lot of children, and maybe the inclusion of this book in a childs library will help them to understand that families are formed in different ways, and your mommy and daddy really are the ones who love you the best, whether by birth or by adoption. Hooray for Miss Spider that she found her forever family!