The Story of Spider and Ant, is the first book in a series written by Don P. Hooper and Illustrated by Darnel Degand. Coomacka is an uncharted Caribbean Island, where each of the stories takes place. Although the Islands itself is a fictional place, much of the inspiration is based on Afro-Caribbean folklore.In this story, Spider manipulates Ant by being dishonest and pretending to be injured. Ant, believing his friend, enlists his family to help. After working all day for Spider, the ants were tired. However, the selfish Spider had no compassion for the ants nor did he appreciate all their hard work.

Reveling in his deception and trickery, the greedy spider celebrated. However, the truth was soon revealed. Realizing this is not how friends are supposed to interact; the ant sets out to teach the spider a lesson.

This beautifully written story has an important lesson hidden just below the surface. Books such as this, that teach silently, while entertaining loudly are rare finds indeed. In addition to the child’s bedside table, this series should be available at every preschool and daycare, elementary school and library. The rhythmic sounds of the island are beating within the colorful drawings. The expressive eyes of the characters convey genuine emotion. Hooper and Degand have delivered a fun, entertaining story that will keep children wide eyed and interested. And that’s exactly what a good children’s book should do!

Happy Reading!
RJ xx ( )