Barbara Herkert

Author Barbara Herkert and illustrator Lauren Castillo explore the life story of Elwyn Brooks White - AKA E.B. White - in this engaging picture-book biography. From his early childhood, when illness and a shy disposition made him more comfortable with his animal companions than with his peers, through his college career at Cornell, and then his work for The New Yorker, A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider chronicles the life experiences that led White to pen such children's classics as Stuart Little show more and Charlotte's Web.

I love the range of picture-book biographies available to younger children these days, and A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider is a worthy contribution to the genre! The story itself is engrossing, and many young reader/listeners will find themselves identifying with the shy young Elwyn. The artwork by Castillo, who won a Caldecott Honor for her Nana in the City, is immensely appealing, with its lovely sepia-toned palette, and its stylized but expressive human and animal figures. Recommended to all young E.B. White fans, and to anyone searching for good picture-book biographies about famous authors. show less

Reading Charlotte’s Web is such a milestone for children- I think this would be a nice thing to include after they finish reading that. Its a good introduction to picture book biographies.

For children, but I'm learning a lot. For example, I knew about hemispheric sleep in migrating birds, but there's lots more here. Also, different kinds of sharks sleep very differently, and so do different kinds of whales.

Engaging artwork that appeals especially well to my taste. Some back matter, but I would have liked more. No notes on sources, just three children's books for further reading.

Definitely a book that could be used to inspire research projects; the information is a bit too show more simple and unsatisfying. For example, "orb-weaving spiders" uniquely (so far as known) have a 17 hour (not 24 hour) cycle... but are orb-weaving spiders one species, a whole genera, maybe a whole family? How many different kinds are there, and are they found all around the world?

I hope parents and other educators realize this is a gem because at least it will encourage further reading, and also because kids are inherently interested in the subject. show less

Fantastic for all families. The works of art, the two quilts that have been preserved, are printed on the endpapers, and the stories are in the back matter. It is a pity that it took a white woman to bring this story to us, but it's an important story and so, ok, however it gets told is fine. I, personally, adore the illustrations.