A Web of Christmas Love

PreS-Gr 2–A curious spider experiences a divine meeting during the Christmas season. Perched high above a room, the spider observes the owner of the home cleaning and tidying. After she departs, the spider sees a beautiful sight: a decorated Christmas tree, stockings hung by the fire, illuminated candles, and more holiday decor. As he explores the space, he can hardly believe his eyes when a glowing being referred to as “the Master” appears, taking the spider into his hand. From this perspective, the spider notices that he left a large number of cobwebs trailing the adornments. The spider feels incredibly ashamed, but is filled with hope when the Master reaches out to touch a web, transforming it into silver. The spider then understands that despite his mistake, God’s love extends to every creature, no matter how small or large. Morris’s text, told in rhyming couplets, is heartwarming and sincere, while Wembabazi’s colorful cartoonlike illustrations brim with holiday spirit. Back matter includes reflection questions about the story and Jesus’s love. Some readers may be confused by certain aspects of the story, such as why the spider felt such intense shame over his inadvertent web creations and how his realization of God’s love came to be.