Miss+Spider's+ABC



Paige Carter

Miss Spider's ABC By: David Kirk

Age Range: 2 - 3 years Board book: 32 pages Publisher: Scholastic Press; BRDBK edition (March 1, 2000) Language: English ISBN-10: 0439137470 ISBN-13: 978-0439137478
 * Bibliographic Information: **

I've based my career on all the stuff I was interested in when I was seven, particularly robots and telepathic space travel. As a child, I loved to draw, and spent hours drawing robots. I was also good at making things. After high school, I decided to study art at the Cleveland Art Institute. Before my Miss Spider books, I made toys of all sorts, colorful, one-of-a-kind toys packed in little hand-painted boxes. One day, my toys caught the attention of a book packager. He encouraged me to write and illustrate a children's book. So I did. It wasn't hard to find the perfect subject for my first book: bugs. My daughter, Violet, loved insects. I also found a small copy of The Gnomes' Almanac by little-known Viennese author Ida Bohtta Morpugo. The pictures and verse about bugs, butterflies, and mice really came to life in that book. That inspired me to start drawing and writing.... Whatever I end up doing next, I know I love making stories. The bookmaking process is a liberation for me from the years I toiled to produce handmade items. I think the life of a children's book author is bliss. David Kirk has been making toys and art for children for over 15 years. He also designs furniture that, together with his one-of-a-kind toys and paintings, are treasured by collectors. He is currently working on a feature-length animated film for Universal that is based on a new character in an upcoming picture book.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Author Biography: **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This book is an alphabet book, and it comes from a series of many other Miss Spider books. In this book, it lists all of the letters in the alphabet, with an insect to represent each one. On most pages, it also has the insect performing a task with the same letter, such as “Bumblebees blow up balloons”, “Caterpillars circle”, and “Dragonfly decorations.” The book is showing all of the insects in the time leading up to Miss Spider’s birthday. Once the author has gone through every letter, you then see all of the bugs hiding inside of a tree. All you can see is their eyes lit up looking outside to Miss Spider. When she walks inside, all of the insects yell “Surprise! Happy Birthday, Miss Spider!” The last page shows all of the insects holding a banner for Miss Spider’s birthday.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Summary: **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This book's illustrations were completely amazing. The author used bright vibrant colors, and he incorporated shadows and light into the book, which made it feel almost 3D. The whole page was filled with the illustration, leaving no plain white page anywhere in the book. This would be a great book to use in an art lesson within an insect unit. Even though it is an ABC book, it actually contains facts about insects. This is a great and interesting way to teach children about a variety of insects. The illustrations would then provide the needed support to help children imagine their own insects; it will encourage use of color and creativity.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Analysis (illustrations)- **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I really loved this book; I think it would be great in any early childhood classroom. It incorporates the alphabet in a story of all the insects preparing for Miss Spiders birthday. I love how he allowed the letters tell a story that flowed from one page to another, rather than just a simple sentence for every word. Many alphabet books describe each letter by itself, with no connection to the rest. What really caught my eye at first was the extremely vivid illustrations; being an art lover, I was totally captured by the artwork.
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Book Review: **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[] <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Related links: **