The Secret World of Spiderwebs

Gr 2-4–Whether they are future arachnologists or simply enjoy books about creepy crawlies, readers will find themselves ensnared by the dazzling array of webs presented in this book. Beccaloni’s debut begins by explaining the purpose of a web as “a highly technical device for catching prey” and reminds readers the world would be overrun by insects without the work of spiders. Detailed illustrations show 13 different types of webs, along with the spiders who build them, their surroundings, and sometimes the prey they are designed to catch. Readers must turn the book on its side for three of the webs to show their full extent (ladder, trapdoor, and lampshade). Each web appears in a spread along with several paragraphs of text about how the web is used, a description of its construction, and where in the world the spider lives. Other spreads describe the different types of spider silk, provide a diagram of a spider’s body, and show the process of spinning a web. A spider-spotter’s guide includes images and descriptions (including size, habitat, and country), along with the scientific and common names of spiders from the book. A glossary, index, and list of sources are also provided.