Spiders

Children's Literature

If you think all spiders are alike, think again. There are 35,000 different species and all belong to the arachnid family, are predators, have eight legs, and produce and expel silk through tiny openings called spinnerets. Spiders can be as tiny as the dot in the letter I or they can span inches. Some spiders spin webs while others live in trees or in water or burrow underground. An ogre-faced spider makes a trap to catch food while the sharp-eyed wolf spider can out-run its prey. Male spiders need to tread carefully while courting or they may become the female's next meal. This diverse group of creatures plays an important part in balancing nature and holds a major place in the ecosystem. With excellent text and stunning color photographs and diagrams, Greenberg's book is a fascinating glimpse into various types of these predators, ways they obtain food and their types of homes. As part of the "Animals, Animals" series, each book contains an index, glossary and additional references. The book is loaded with interesting information and would be useful in a classroom library. 2002, Benchmark Books/Marshall Cavendish, $22.79. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Laura Hummel AGES: 8 9 10 11 12