Is it possible to empathize with a big black spider? You may change your mind after reading Aaaarrgghh! Spider! The plot of this book - a spider longs to be a family's pet - is certainly unique and cleverly presented through first-person narration from the spider herself. The font is one typically reserved for Halloween, so certainly appropriate for Spider dialogue; it changes size and direction based on the emphasis its aiming for. The sentences themselves range in length, but contain great learning-to-read words for your beginner reader. A very creative picture presentation and layout adds to the fun of reading; the first picture is upside down, so that the spider can look directly at readers while speaking to them, another picture shows the family from the viewpoint of the spider, who is outside looking in a window, and the scenes range from full-page spreads to multiple smaller panels with or without a backdrop. The pictures are always filled with high contrasting colors and take a multi-media approach, including drawing, fabric cutouts, pictures of real objects superimposed, and real glitter!
There is plenty of humor spread throughout the pages to keep you and your child engaged and giggling. You may laugh at the family's faces each time they notice the spider in their house and scream, "Aaaagghh! A Spider!" Or, you may giggle at the family dog who hides behind the couch when the spider dances, or steals a lick from the mom's ice cream sundae when the family is occupied looking at a spider web in the kitchen. Most little ones will love to join right in on the repeating lines, "Aaaarrgghh! A Spider!" and "Out you go!" When the story is through, you can spend a few minutes discussing the lessons within - the spider just wants to fit in and feel loved, and the family needs to accept that the spider looks different than their other pets.
My friend, Molly, has read this book countless times with her mom and me. Molly has informed me that the spider is "pretty" because it appears to be wearing lipstick, and "Cool" because it makes sparkly webs. I asked Molly if this book made her like spiders more, but she said, "Not real ones. Real spiders are all boys, and they don't wear make-up like this one."
--Audra