Product Description

Wary insects do not dare stop by Miss Spider's for tea, but when a wayward moth falls into one of Miss Spider's cups, she graciously rescues it and soon finds herself surrounded by new friends.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29344 in Books
• Published on: 1994-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780590477246
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
What's a sociable spider to do when no one will accept her invitations to tea? Seemingly unaware of her own predatory reputation, the eponymous arachnid is perplexed and saddened when a parade of potential guests scuttles, scampers and scurries away "in mortal dread." A timely rainstorm provides the perfect opportunity for Miss Spider to prove her good intentions, however, as she lovingly nurtures a rain-soaked moth with sweets and warm brew. Good news travels quickly, and before long her web is abuzz with a full-scale tea party. "Her friends were glad to watch her feast / Upon the floral centerpiece. / It was a great relief to see / She ate just flowers and drank just tea." First-time author Kirk's rhyming text, with its singsong rhythm and counting motif (two beetles are followed by three fireflies, then four bumblebees, etc.), is slack and predictable, but his illustrations are thoroughly original. The stylized paintings are flecked with a shimmery light that accentuates the bold, often garish, juxtaposition of colors and increases the whimsy of the appropriately bug-eyed cast. All ages.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-Ingenuous Miss Spider can't understand why insects flee in panic at her approach. Being a florivore herself, she only wants to invite them over for cakes and tea. The ironic air wafting through Kirk's rhymed tale will not be lost on young readers, and the insects in the big, brightly colored illustrations bear comically apprehensive expressions as they hastily depart. Miss Spider is depicted as a freckled, green-eyed beauty with a bulbous black-and-gold body; she and her would-be guests are seen in a slightly softened focus that sometimes sharpens to a glossy solidity reminiscent of William Joyce's figures. At last, Miss Spider is able to convince a rain-soaked moth of her good intentions, and, "Before too long our hostess knew/Each bug who crawled or hopped or flew/And all their lovely children too." A sweet tale-pair it with Mary Ann Hoberman's Bugs (Viking, 1976; o.p.).
John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-8. Miss Spider eagerly waits for some guests to join her at tea, but because spiders are in the habit of eating their company, no one wants to join her. Espying her web, the fireflies hightail it, the ants ignore her, the beetles dash away. Nine moths, waiting out a thundershower, prefer to get wet. But one little moth is too soaked to take wing. A guest at last! Miss Spider wines him and dines him, and then, instead of dining on him, she sends him on his way, at the same time paving the way for lots of new friends to trust her hospitality. As far as the story goes, there's one fly in the ointment. If young kids don't know that spiders catch other insects in their web to eat them, they won't know why Miss Spider is shunned, especially since she seems so nice. It's easy to forgive flaws in the story (a prosaic rhyming text) because of the fabulous art. Featuring the clarity that comes with airbrushing, these in-your-face pictures are full of eye-popping colors and almost 3-D shapes. Kirk takes artistic license and introduces spiders that are yellow, bugs that are blue, and ants the color of maraschino cherries. This would be a fun one to read to groups. Ilene Cooper

Customer Reviews

The story is fun but the pictures are what make this book!!
Miss Spider's Tea Party is a simple story that introduces children to simple counting from 1 to 10. The illustrations are extremely colourful and visually stimulating for both children and parents (or grown ups like me who bought it for themselves). It's a great story that no bookself should be without - a classic kids book.

Vividly Gourgeous Illustrations-A Joy to Read!
~ Miss Spider's Tea Party is one of those children's books that brings delight to the adult reader as well as the child.
~ The illustrations are beautiful and vividly intricate, but not too complex for children to enjoy, the story has a very gentle wit, that adults will appreciate.
~ Poor Miss Spider invites all kinds of insects to tea, but for some reason they seem reluctant to befriend her. : - )

~ Happily, her naturally sweet charm wins her popularity in the insect kingdom over, as well as a true fan in the reader. Children really seem to love this simple tale, mostly for the beauty of the illustrations, and the sense of a happy conclusion approaching.

I highly recommend this as a book you can enjoy reading with your child. And I would definitely also recommend the sequel "Miss Spider's Wedding"!

Excellent story, Excellent Book!
I had first gotten this book when I went to my sons book fair at school. My 1 yr old daughter immediately fell in love with it and I have been reading it to her ever since. She loves the beautiful graphics in the story, and the wonderful rhyming keeps her tuned into the story. We have even made up little motions to go along with the story so she can participate actively in the story. I recommend this book to any parent, I believe this book has helped my daughter to start sounding out words already, and I feel confident that she will be an avid reader because of books like this. David Kirk does a wonderful job as a story teller, and I cannot wait to read all his childrens books to my own 3 children.