The Spider and the Fly (book)
| Author | Mary Howitt |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Tony Diterlizzi |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Poem |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers |
|
Publication date
|
2002 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 18 |
| ISBN |
The Spider and the Fly is a picture book published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers in October 1, 2002. The author and illustrator, Tony Diterlizzi, based this book on a poem by Mary Howitt originally written in 1829. The Spider and the Fly became a Caldecott Honors book in 2003.
The Spider and the Fly presents the 1829 poem of the same name, composed by Mary Howitt, as a picture book, illustrated by Tony Diterlizzi. The book was published in 2002 by Simon & Schuster book for Young Readers. The book contains 40 pages and is intended for children ages 5 and up. The plot is conveyed by a series of monochrome drawings, which set the events around the eponymous spider's home.
The poem describes a spider's, ultimately successful, attempts to entice a fly into its home, apparently with iniquitous motive.
The Fly, initially hesitant, is eventually won over by flattery; "'Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!'", and is ostensibly eaten by the Spider.
As the title suggests, the main characters are a Spider and a Fly. The illustrator also incorporates as images ghosts of the Spider's past victims.
The book retains the original poem's function as a cautionary tale, warning the reader against vanity as a quality readily manipulable by others for nefarious purposes.
The Spider and the Fly met with critical acclaim. Publishers Weekly praised it as a "a visual treat", and for its appeal to "young sophisticates and adults alike". The New York Times also approved, believing it able to "explicate the metaphor", yet not "diminish [young readers'] pleasure in the grisly doings one bit."
[[Category:Children's picture books]
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