Spidermania: Friends on the Web

Gr 4–6—A brilliantly colorized microphotograph of a jumping spider crouches on the dust jacket like some alien nightmare, an electric lure to attract browsers to the many enlightening pages that follow. Many other Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) photos, also colorized, are strewn about, offering vivid details of spinnerets, fangs, and eye patterns; regular color photos of spiders are included as well. The writing flows well, and Siy discusses a wide selection of arachnid topics—basic physiology, behaviors, and silk, for instance—before branching into specific varieties. Some of the species examined are the diving bell spider, the daddy longlegs spider (not to be confused with the equally long-legged harvestman), the wolf spider, and, of course, the black widow. Asides on topics such as courtship, parenting, and web-building are interspersed throughout, and the book ends with Siy delving into how she and Kunkel identified an unknown spider sample. She also explains how the dramatic SEM photos so liberally lavished throughout were taken and colorized. Back matter, which features information on eye-patterns, an identification key to eight common orders, and a segment on spider classification, is sure to delight educators. Similar in scope to Seymour Simon's handsome (nonindexed) Spiders (HarperCollins, 2004, 2007) and Nic Bishop's dramatic Spiders (Scholastic, 2007), this eye-catcher will appeal to students.