I'm Trying to Love Spiders

Personally, I rather like spiders. I keep them in my house to keep down the annoying little flies. One of the few things that really exasperates me is a squealing little kid who's been taught by their parents that spiders are "scary" or "icky". So, I was inclined to be annoyed at this book at first. But...it's just....so much fun! I can't resist it.

The unseen narrator is trying, really hard, to love spiders. After all, they are amazing creatures! They practically have superpowers! They....AUGH SMASH IT SMASH IT. oops. Maybe next time?

The book is packed with factoids about arachnids, but it's also full of silly jokes, lots of yelling, and, of course, handprints for smashing if it all gets to be too much for you! Barton's messy drawings show more are the perfect accompaniment to this lively and wacky story, with spiderwebs, blobs of ink, spilt paint water, and the occasional smooshed bug stain spilling over the pages.

Verdict: This isn't going to be for every audience. Kids who are genuinely afraid of spiders, or a little too eager to smash every living thing that's smaller than them, are unlikely to benefit. For maximum effect, a group small enough to take turns swatting the page would be ideal as well. However, it's a delightful novelty title with a fresh approach to spiders. Purchase where interactive books (and spiders, alive or dead) are appreciated.

ISBN: 978067001638; Published 2015 by Viking/Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library show less

The narrator of this book is definitely me. I really want to like spiders but they squick me out. I'm trying to be nicer to them and live in harmony but sometimes I have to squish them or I'll freak out. But I always feel bad after and I don't know how I feel about this book encouraging kids to squish spiders (while ostensibly encouraging kids to not squish spiders). It does make for a funny book...and I guess at the end we've learned to pet the spiders instead. Poor spiders.

Really, I'm trying to love spiders and through this book you will too! The author, speaking in first person, is trying valiantly to love spiders but really finds them disgusting. Bethany Barton, with whimsical and exuberant voice, makes a case for how cool spiders are, trying to convince herself and thereby the reader. However, after every cool feature, the narrator ends up screaming and splatting the spider (a hand print on the page).qSpider wins over the narrator by getting rid of a large infestation of bugs and creating a heart shaped web.

The art work includes splashes of water color and lined drawings painted in watercolor. The font is actually handwriting. Don't forget to touch the cover with a raised spider web reminiscent of show more Eric Carle's Very Busy Spider! show less

What a joy! Must be read out loud with another person because it is so fun and interactive. And it is even educational between all the laughs. Recommended!

I'm trying to Love spiders is a cute informative book about spiders. It's about someone trying to learn to love spiders so throughout the book there are fun facts about spiders that make them seem cool. The book compares spiders to ninjas, and superhero's.

I can relate to this book because I am afraid of spiders, and so are my children. I think my children and I can learn to look at spiders a little bit differently after reading this story.

In the classroom I would do a fun lesson about spiders. We would make spiders in are and read about them. We would go on spider hunts outside and see if we see any spiders and take pictures of them. we would also make a board about all the fun facts about spiders.

This is hilarious! My children love this book! I appreciate the educational aspects....there are loads of spider facts....my children appreciate the interactive fun aspects....we all love the humor. A total win!!

For the record, I do not like spiders. However, I am trying to pass on a better view of them to my daughter. This book is very helpful for any young reader who would like to unmask the mystery of these sometimes creepy insects. The writing is simple so that anyone can learn about spiders in a fun way. Not only that, but the illustrations do a great job to support the facts of the book. My daughter had a lot of fun learning about different kinds of spiders, their webs, and how they survive. The author does a great job of drawing the reader into the subject through the fun way the facts are given. There are even some interactive pages asking the reader to squish the spider on the page! We had fun laughing and being silly while learning to show more give spiders a second chance. I recommend this book to anyone who is trying to love spiders themselves.

Ashley C. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

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