Spi-ku

★ “Cheerfully illustrated. . . As always, Bulion uses both evocative vocabulary and a variety of poetic forms; these are chosen with care and defined in the backmatter… Engaging and information rich, this is wonderfully well woven.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Notes on poetic form are on hand for readers who gravitate to the “A” in their STEAM curriculum, but the verses are also effective as mnemonic devices. . . teasing wordplay. . . and wry Gorey-esque bait for the spider grossout fans. . . Meganck’s digital artwork balances light-hearted cartooning with reliably detailed anatomical drawing.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Abundant scientific information, poetry, and colorful cartoon illustrations. . . scientific concepts are clearly conveyed, incorporating lively, sometimes icky touches. . . the enthusiastic tone will help readers find plenty to engage, inform, and intrigue.” —Booklist

“Readers will want to devour the pages. . . The approachable and accessible verse will make adults and children want to explore the natural world and discover a clutter of spiders. . . . A fun collection of factual poetry to add to shelves.” —School Library Journal

“Thirty-six poems in a variety of forms, paragraphs of information (in smaller-size type), and friendly (realistic but with hints of humor) digital illustrations together provide an effective cross-curricular introduction to spiders’ appearance, behaviors, physiology, diet, and defenses. The poems’ observations are sometimes lighthearted, sometimes thoughtful, and always enhance details in the accompanying text.” —The Horn Book