For kids who are fascinated with bugs of all sorts, this is a fact-filled book with plenty of detailed illustrations. There are explanations of what type of creatures are in the arachnid group and the difficulty of finding spider fossils because they don't have skeletons. The book begins with the observation that "As you read these words, there is probably a spider nearby." It is amazing to think that spiders exist on every continent but Antarctica, and the wide variety of sizes, habitats, and adaptations that help them survive around the world are incredible. Everything from trapdoor spiders to diving bell spiders are depicted, along with descriptions of various webs, how spiders lay their eggs, and how they catch their prey. There is also a discussion of arachnophobia, the place of spiders in food chains, and predators that eat spiders.
The watercolor illustrations show the shape of the webs, the various parts of the spider's leg, different arrangements of their eyes, and some of the amazing camouflage (disguised as poop, of all things!). There is a spread that shows a closeup of a spider with all the body parts and their functions described. Back matter includes a glossary, and a list of suggested books and websites to learn more.
Recommended for young naturalists who enjoy narrative descriptions of animals. I received a copy from the publisher for review purposes.
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