By Melinda Lancaster, for The Children’s Book Review
Published: March 11, 2010
Author Showcase: A place for authors and illustrators to gain visibility for their works.*
Tyler and the Spider
By Melinda Lancaster (author) and Rosemarie Gillen (illustrator)
Reading level: Preschool-2nd grad
Paperback: 32 pages $10.95
Publisher: Wiggles Press (March 2010)
IBSN 978-1-935706-08-3
LCCN 2010923889
What to expect: Engaging pictures, easy to read rhyme, seeing situations from different perspectives.
Tyler wakes up to find a SPIDER dangling over his head. He’s afraid because he “once heard, spiders are ugly, mean and they bite” and “Tyler thought the spider might…just bite him on the nose!”
The spider is equally surprised and afraid when he finds himself dangling right in front of Tyler, because “he once heard boys are ugly, mean and they fight” and “the spider thought Tyler might…just go ahead and squash him”
Eventually, the spider ends up in Tyler’s hand and they both wait for something horrible to happen. But, as time passes they realize “that just because someone is different than you, doesn’t mean you can’t be friends, too.” In the end they become best friends.
Young readers will love the illustrations. Tyler and the spider are shown in wonderful detail from their expressions, to Tyler’s baseball themed bedroom, to the spiders adorable, little red sneakers.
“Tyler and the Spider” came to me as a way to address acceptance, not just for my daughter Katelin, who has Rett Syndrome, but for anyone who is different- whether it be a disability or ethnic background or any other characteristic that makes them stand out.
*Titles featured in the Author Showcase have not been reviewed by The Children’s Book Review, and reflect the thoughts of the author, illustrator, or publishing company. Read more …
