A Few of My Favorite Things, Part 1
I am excited to share some of my all-time favorite children's books with you. Here is the first of many...and it happens to be a great Halloween-type book.
The Spider and the Fly, by Tony DiTerlizzi.
Tony DiTerlizzi illustrated this poem written by Mary Howitt. Tony's illustrations create the feeling that you are watching an old silent film. In addition, Tony frames the text to look like title cards. He complements the text with detailed illustrations that not only feature the Dr. Jekyll-ish spider and the narcissistic fly, but also the cautionary tale of the "Ghosts of Bugs Past." (I can see why you like it too Mr. Nuthall!)
The illustrations capture the imaginations of all children, and adults, but it is the ending that really does it for me. I love a book that isn't cliche and The Spider and the Fly certainly deserves an evil cackle at the end. The boys in all my classes have all loved this book! Tony adds his own twist by write a letter from the spider to all the readers. The spider's opinion includes a reference to Charlotte's Web, saying that if he were Charlotte, he would be, "eating bacon."
Tony basically rocks at everything he does. His website declares, "Never Abandon Imagination!" www.diterlizzi.com I have had a couple of opportunities to hear him speak and he is as cool in real life as you would guess from reading his books. (There is a picture of us together somewhere but that was in the days before digital cameras so I have misplaced it somehow...) If you love what you read when you pick up The Spider and the Fly, check out G is for Gzonk (a funky alphabet book) or any of the Spiderwick Chronicles (a chapter book series he worked on with Holly Black.) His new book, The Search for WonderLa is also now available!
The Spider and the Fly, by Tony DiTerlizzi.
Tony DiTerlizzi illustrated this poem written by Mary Howitt. Tony's illustrations create the feeling that you are watching an old silent film. In addition, Tony frames the text to look like title cards. He complements the text with detailed illustrations that not only feature the Dr. Jekyll-ish spider and the narcissistic fly, but also the cautionary tale of the "Ghosts of Bugs Past." (I can see why you like it too Mr. Nuthall!)
The illustrations capture the imaginations of all children, and adults, but it is the ending that really does it for me. I love a book that isn't cliche and The Spider and the Fly certainly deserves an evil cackle at the end. The boys in all my classes have all loved this book! Tony adds his own twist by write a letter from the spider to all the readers. The spider's opinion includes a reference to Charlotte's Web, saying that if he were Charlotte, he would be, "eating bacon."
Tony basically rocks at everything he does. His website declares, "Never Abandon Imagination!" www.diterlizzi.com I have had a couple of opportunities to hear him speak and he is as cool in real life as you would guess from reading his books. (There is a picture of us together somewhere but that was in the days before digital cameras so I have misplaced it somehow...) If you love what you read when you pick up The Spider and the Fly, check out G is for Gzonk (a funky alphabet book) or any of the Spiderwick Chronicles (a chapter book series he worked on with Holly Black.) His new book, The Search for WonderLa is also now available!
I may have to add this to my "fly-theme" collection!
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