Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk, David Kirk (Illustrator)

From Barnes & Noble

"One lonely spider wished to play. Two beetles cried and ran away." Miss Spider's tea party crisis is solved by an act of heroism involving a rain-soaked moth. Now adapted for new readers, this award-winning book is an enduring classic.

From the Publisher

You are cordially invited to the most charming tea party ever tossed by a lonely, lovable, ladylike spider. With vibrant oil paintings and elegant rhyming verses, renowned toy designer David Kirk serves up an irresistible story about the rewards of kindness and the importance of friendship. Full color.

Publishers Weekly

What's a sociable spider to do when no one will accept her invitations to tea? Seemingly unaware of her own predatory reputation, the eponymous arachnid is perplexed and saddened when a parade of potential guests scuttles, scampers and scurries away ``in mortal dread.'' A timely rainstorm provides the perfect opportunity for Miss Spider to prove her good intentions, however, as she lovingly nurtures a rain-soaked moth with sweets and warm brew. Good news travels quickly, and before long her web is abuzz with a full-scale tea party. ``Her friends were glad to watch her feast / Upon the floral centerpiece. / It was a great relief to see / She ate just flowers and drank just tea.'' First-time author Kirk's rhyming text, with its singsong rhythm and counting motif (two beetles are followed by three fireflies, then four bumblebees, etc.), is slack and predictable, but his illustrations are thoroughly original. The stylized paintings are flecked with a shimmery light that accentuates the bold, often garish, juxtaposition of colors and increases the whimsy of the appropriately bug-eyed cast. All ages. (Apr.)

Children's Literature

Miss Spider is such a delight, and this is a book that is sturdy enough for younger children to handle and love. Counting from 1 to 12, the tale of the insects' reluctance to come to Miss Spider's Tea Party is told. When she proves herself a friend, the insects come back to play. The artwork is wonderful, bright and whimsical. The insects are imaginative and expressive. The palette demands attention.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Ingenuous Miss Spider can't understand why insects flee in panic at her approach. Being a florivore herself, she only wants to invite them over for cakes and tea. The ironic air wafting through Kirk's rhymed tale will not be lost on young readers, and the insects in the big, brightly colored illustrations bear comically apprehensive expressions as they hastily depart. Miss Spider is depicted as a freckled, green-eyed beauty with a bulbous black-and-gold body; she and her would-be guests are seen in a slightly softened focus that sometimes sharpens to a glossy solidity reminiscent of William Joyce's figures. At last, Miss Spider is able to convince a rain-soaked moth of her good intentions, and, ``Before too long our hostess knew/Each bug who crawled or hopped or flew/And all their lovely children too.'' A sweet tale-pair it with Mary Ann Hoberman's Bugs (Viking, 1976; o.p.).-John Peters, New York Public Library

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