Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss
| Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
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| Summary: A quirky and amusing snapshot of the life of a young spider. Diary of a Spider is particularly funny, for both young children and adults alike. Although the diary format doesn't hit the mark right at the end, it's still a great read. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 40 | Date: April 2012 |
| Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0007455928 | |
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It's not an easy life being a spider. You have to avoid vacuum cleaners, daddy longlegs, and people with big shoes. There are good things too: you get to have fun with your best friend, Fly, and spend time with your loving family. Diary of a Spider takes us through a few months in the life of a young spider, taking in the fun and adventure.
Whilst the young audience might not be familiar with diaries, it soon becomes apparent to them what is going on. The narrative is very loose, but for the majority of the book, this works well, as each diary entry flows neatly into the next. The only time the diary format falls flat is at the end, where the book finishes without a wholly satisfying conclusion. It ends on a positive note, but you do turn the page expecting there to be more.
Harry Bliss' illustrations are simple and effective. He lets his imagination run wild, with the fun world of arachnids and insects. There's plenty to pore over on every page, and the young book fans will be pointing at all manner of things, interested in what's going on. The spider on the front cover lacks a little of the charm and character from the pages within the book, but inside you will find yourself drawn in, and empathising with the characters.
The biggest selling point of Diary of a Spider is its humour. It's packed full of well-paced and quirky gags. I particularly enjoyed Spider and Fly making competing flash cards for their methods of flying, as well as seeing Spider and his sister on the seesaw. There are giggles a-plenty, to amuse both the little ones and the adults reading to them. It makes Diary of a Spider well-worth repeat reads, and so a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf. Warmly recommended.
For other spider-based fun, take a look at I'm Just Not Keen On Spiders (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child and There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly by Simms Taback. The best of all spider stories is, of course, Charlotte's Web by E B White.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss at Amazon.com.
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