Archive for the ‘Non-Fiction’ Category

My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary

Posted by hollybookscoops on May 11, 2009

I finally read the second book of Beverly Cleary’s autobiography, which covers her life after High School. The first book, A Girl from Yamhill covers the years from birth to High School Graduation. Beverly Cleary is one of my favorite authors and I was excited to read more about her life after she left home. my own two feet

Beverly’s life was filled with grueling realities during the depression. Scraping the bottom of the barrel to find enough money to attend college and then, once graduated, trying to find a job, when so few were to be had. The amount of work that she put into college and some of the ridiculous expectations were fun to learn about. In order to graduate from junior college she had to compose an original tap dance. Refusing would have cost her her diploma. Thank goodness we don’t have rules like that anymore!

Beverly is a great inspiration for the things we can accomplish when we pick a path and work hard to get across the finish line. Beverly has done so many amazing things in her life working as a librarian and in book stores and finally in creating wonderful stories that speak to the mischievous little stinkers inside each of us. I enjoyed the pictures sprinkled throughout the book. Beverly Cleary is one of my literary heroes! I highly recommend this for older (as in middle school and above) fans of Cleary’s.

Posted in Non-Fiction, Young Adult | 6 Comments »

A Very Touching Book for Little People and Big People by Jan Hindman, Illustrated by Tom Novak

Posted by caribookscoops on April 27, 2009

April is National Poetry Month and Holocaust Month, but did you know it is also National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which includes child sexual abuse? One in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually assaulted before they turn 18*. So to raise awareness of some children books to help prevent abuse, I decided to review A Very Touching Book written by Jan Hindman. This book is one of my favorites for teaching about appropriate touch for children in a way that is non-threatening to both adults and children. Jan wrote A Very Touching Book after working with victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse. Teaching children about sexual abuse is hard because as adults we often get embarrassed or as Jan puts it ‘purple faces’ when it comes to discussing sex.

First off the illustrations by Tom Novak are very cute and fun in a cartoon style and my daughter really likes them, which is always a plus. Jan first starts the book off with an explanation of what touching is – when two things come together. She then moves onto feelings – happy, sad, angry, scared and explains that different kinds of feelings help us understand different kinds of touching. I love that she defines good touching with – hugs, kisses, cuddling high fives, etc and what bad touching is kicking hitting, pushing, shoving, etc. I like this because I think using bad touch to teach about sexual abuse is confusing to children. Sex is not bad in of itself, its when an adult or older person sexually abuses a child that makes it bad. She then introduces a third kind of touching – secret touching.

Next she takes some time to explain to kids (and adults) what special parts are by name, using the correct terminology and pointed out to the reader that adults often get those purple faces when we talk about special parts and sometimes people use silly names.

First, while we are growing up. we keep those parts of our bodies very special and private. When we keep things special and private, that means we don’t share them with our friends, our neighbors or…for instance, the people at the supermarket.

and I love this explanation too

Remember, we don’t cover those parts because they are silly or ugly or nasty. We cover them and keep them private because they are special and like no other part of our body.

and particularly this phrase

The second reason that sharing of those parts is such a big deal is that grown-ups need to spend a lot of time thinking about who the special person will be that they decide to share their bodies with.

Jan explains in a very simple way what secrets are and that some are okay and others are not. Secret touching is not okay and

It happens when an older or bigger person touches a child’s special parts and makes it a secret . . . SECRET TOUCHING IS NOT OKAY FOR KIDS because kids have a right to keep those very wonderful parts of their bodies special and private, so that when they grow up and want to share those parts with someone special, it will be a terrific thing.

In addition to all this Jan Hindman goes through exceptions of when it would be okay for a grown-up to touch a child’s special parts – like going to the doctor, bathing and changing a diaper. Those are okay because they are not secrets and because sometimes grown-ups need to make sure you are healthy and a baby needs cleaning after she poops her pants. (And the illustrations here are hilarious Dad changing a diaper with clothespin on his nose, my daughter laughed!) After each of the scenarios for when it would be okay to have someone touch your special parts she asks the kid “is that a touching secret”? And the kid gets to answer by touching a red yes or a green no. My daughter really liked that part because it asked her to touch something, which is what the book is about and I liked it because I could help clarify for her when it would be okay for someone to touch her special parts.

Continuing Jan talks more about secret touching, why it’s wrong and who you could tell if it happens (police, teacher, parent, counselor, etc) and that a child has the right to say “NO” and to tell someone if it does happen.

I highly recommend this A Very Touching Book for kids ages 4-9. Now that said I know of a few friends who would appreciate knowing this about the book 1) there are cartoon illustrations with naked people, which I think they are tastefully done (kids are curious knowing the names of all their parts and what the opposite sex looks like is just part of growing up, it’s usually grown-ups who are uncomfortable with it) 2) we don’t keep this book with all the children books where any kid could read it (really I respect parent’s rights to determine how, when and what they to teach their children about this topic). It’s in a special spot for books like this in my room. We pull it out very few months or so and both my and my husband have read it with her and whenever she asks to look at the book we read it together. 3) There is a scene where a kid gets dirty over at grandpa and grandma’s house so he gets in the shower with grandpa and it’s okay touching because grandpa is helping him to get clean. For me this was not okay as too many abuse situations occur like this so I skip it and other reviewers have said the same thing.

Jan Hindman passed away in September 2007 to learn more about her and her other book There is No Sex Fairy go to the Hindman Foundation. For some other great resources on sexually abuse visit Stop It Now.

*Statistics from FAQ About Child Abuse – Stop It Now

This review is part of Non-Fiction Monday hosted by Anastacia Suen at Picture Book of the Day.

Posted in Books for Boys, Books for Girls, Non-Fiction | Tagged: abuse prevention | 1 Comment »

Onward: A Photobiography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson by Dolores Johnson

Posted by caribookscoops on April 20, 2009

I first heard of Matthew Henson before at the Utah State History Fair (similar to Science fair, but with history) several years ago. A boy had created a documentary on Matthew Henson. Incredibly well-done documentary and a fascinating story of bravery in the face of danger and racial discrimination. So when I saw this book at the library I had to check it out.

Matthew Henson is one of America’s unsung heroes. Henson is self-educated son of sharecroppers who sets out on his own at the ripe old age of 13!!! He works as a cabin boy and sailor on several ships and travels the world. Eventually, his love for adventure gets him a job with Robert Peary, whose main goal in life was be the first human to reach the North Pole. These two men shared the same passion – to reach the north pole. It took years to accomplish their goal, which was finally achieved on April 6, 1909 just over a hundred years ago.

Without Matthew Henson, Peary would never had made it and you could say the same of Peary. Matthew was very adept at learning the Inuit language and survival techniques, which one more than one occasion saved their lives. Peary was regarded as a hero and awarded prestigious medals, money and a promotion to Rear Admiral in the Navy. Congress even passed a resolution thanking Peary for his exploration and achievement. Not one of these awards ever mention Matthew Henson because he was African American and most people considered him to Peary’s man servant as opposed to fellow explorer. After Henson’s death, with the help of African American professor Dr. S. Allen Counter, Matthew Henson was later recognized as the co-discoverer of the North pole.

I thought this book was well written and I loved the primary source photographs throughout the book. Lots of great references including a reference to another book for children called Matthew Henson: Co-Discover of the North Pole by Laura Baskes Litwin. I’ll have to check it out. One of my favorite pictures is in the afterword where Matthew Henson at the age of 81 reads to a child from comic book series detailing Henson’s adventure entitled Negro Heroes. I would recommend this book for ages 8 and up and would make an excellent classroom resource on American History and exploration.

Posted in Biography, Picture Books | 3 Comments »

Mongoose by Janet Halfmann

Posted by hollybookscoops on April 18, 2009

I ordered this book at our library, and finally got it in. My boys were absolutely thrilled. mongoose

“Did you order this for me?!?”

“No, it’s mine, I love mongooses.”

“It’s mine, right, Mom?”

“Is it mine? Is it mine? Is it mine?!?!?!?”

“It’s for all of us. We will all read it together.”

(collective sigh and rolling eyes)

“Oh-kay.”

So, we all read it together and the verdict is in. This is one of their favorite books. Who would have thought that Mongooses would top the list of popular subjects in our house?

Mongoose is not for the squeemish as it shows pictures of scorpions, cobras and other creepy creatures. Many of them in the process of being devoured by Mongooses. There is blood. Lots of dripping, oozing blood. Nasty! No wonder it was such a hit!

Mongooses are amazing creatures who eat a remarkable variety of things from bugs (think Timon on Lion King) to snakes, rats and birds. I was sure within the first few pages that we had hit upon the solution for Cari’s varmint problem. Sadly, Janet informs us that it’s illegal to bring Mongooses to the United States. Sorry, Cari. You’ll just have to get a cat I guess.

Thanks Janet, for some fun bed time reading. It took us a couple of nights to get through because there is so much great information. We’re definitely going to be checking out more Halfmann books!

Posted in Books for Boys, Books for Girls, Books for teaching Math and Science, Juvenile Fiction, Middle Readers, Non-Fiction, Young Adult | 5 Comments »

Satchel Paige: Don’t Look Back by David A. Adler, illustrated by Terry Widener

Posted by hollybookscoops on April 6, 2009

satchel-paige1 This is a non-fiction book about one of Baseball’s best players. Satchel Paige played during a time of racial segregation in our nation’s favorite pastime. Satchel overcame a difficult childhood to become famous among black fans. Satchel Paige was overlooked by mainstream media and ‘regular’ fans. At one point when Satchel’s Negro League team played a white team, Satchel proved that he was the best by having all the other players sit down and he threw straight strike outs, until the other team apologized for their disbelief and racial remarks.

“You got to understand,” said Connie Johnson, a pitcher in the Negro Leagues and later in the major leagues. “He was like Babe Ruth to us, but he was our Babe Ruth.”

When teams were integrated, in 1947, Satchel was 40 years old and determined to continue playing. Satchel played baseball until retirement at age 59 saying he liked keeping busy and didn’t want to rust. A truly inspiring player, Satchel was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

“Don’t Look back,” he often said. “Something might be gaining on you.”

Our whole family enjoyed the colorful illustrations, and excellent history of Satchel’s amazing career. We are baseball lovers in our home, and as baseball season gets underway, we wanted to pay tribute to this great baseball player who played an integral part in the history of our nation’s top past time. If you have t-ballers or rookies, and even older players, they will enjoy getting a little history lesson disguised as a great story about a great player. I highly recommend this story!

Posted in Biography, Books for Boys, Books for Girls, Books for teaching history, Children's Literature, Juvenile Fiction, Middle Readers, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Uncategorized, Young Adult | 1 Comment »

Tisha , The Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaska Wilderness as told to Robert Specht

Posted by hollybookscoops on April 1, 2009

In 1927, Anne Hobbs is an amazing teacher who, after teaching in the western frontier town of Forest Grove, Oregon (where I lived once upon a time), decides to teach in the Alaskan wilderness. The journey to the gold-mining settlement of Chicken is grueling and unbearable, and ironically, somewhat flattering:

tisha

“Along the way I had so much attention paid to me by men that sometimes I didn’t think I was me. Even though I’d heard that there weren’t too many women in the North, I hadn’t expected to be treated like a raving beauty wherever I went . . . A couple of times, in my cabin, I’d look at myself in the mirror thinking that maybe I’d changed in some way, that maybe I was really much prettier than I’d always thought I was. But after a good examination I knew I was just the same plain Anne Hobbs- same gray eyes, not a bad nose, good white teeth. One of the front ones was a little crooked, so about the best I could say was that if I didn’t open my mouth and if my hair were still long I might have a faint resemblance to Mary Pickford. But even here in Eagle, where the riverboat had left me off, there’d been a dance given for me.”

A captivating story of determination and grit that will swell your heart. Anne became known as Tisha because that is how the Indians said Teacher. She challenged the limitations and prejudices that were commonly placed upon the native people by the white miners and villagers. This was my second read of the book and I had forgotten how much swearing there was- but when you are quoting miners and trappers, I’m not sure how else you are to be authentic. You can’t exactly change their colorful phrases and have them be the same people!

The western frontier, particularly Alaska, was a harsh place for women, but Anne Hobbs proved that women are a great force for good and are able to raise the level of humanity and compassion in the world. Our nation was changed for the better when women like Tisha ventured west, often in response to ads, to educate- not just in school, but in matters of community as well.

Tisha is part of my reading for Women’s History month. (I know it’s the end of the month- oops, I mean April, but I’m working on it and hope to have a few more eventually)

Posted in Biography, Juvenile Fiction, Non-Fiction, Uncategorized, Young Adult | 3 Comments »

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Steven James Petruccio

Posted by caribookscoops on March 30, 2009

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by Steven James Petruccio is the second book in the Smithsonian Oceanic Collection I have read and reviewed. I have to say I am impressed with both the series in quality and it’s intent, which is to promote the education and appreciation of nature. Each book comes with a stuffed animal and my five year old would be ecstatic to have a stuffed animal with a book, since she is a big animal lover and collector of stuffed animals. In each book there is a main character who faces a problem based on real experiences of that particular animal.

Narwhal: Unicorn of the sea is a delightful tale of a Narwhals, a type whale. The males in the species have long tooth, about 9 feet long that whalers often sold as unicorn horns throughout history. Not much is known about these whales as they spend in the winter in the harshness of the Arctic ocean. Just thinking about it makes me cold!

Janet weaves scientific fact with talented story-telling in Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea. The book opens with the Inuit word for Narwhal – Tuugaalik, Tuugaalik with beautiful illustrations done by Steven Petruccio. The reader journeys with Narwhal and experiences sightings of tourist boats, dangerous killer whales and being trapped by frozen sea ice with prowling polar bears waiting at the surface. You spend a year with Narwhale starting in the Arctic summer where his pod spends their time near shore and then the out in the sea during the cold, long, winter. Along the way readers can see lots of other sea life from birds to seals, to starfish, jellyfish and and finally yummy flatfish, at least yummy for Narwhal because that is what he eats. Petruccio’s pictures of beautiful blue water and arctic scenes including some with colorful northern lights makes me want to go and see Narwhals in their natural environment.

I did read this book with my daughter and two of her friends. Their favorite page was the one where Narwhal and another male cross teeth as if in a sword fight. They enjoyed the story and learning that whales are mammals and what types of things they ate. I the reason they liked the book so much is because it is easy for them to see how Narwhals are like humans. They often have family groups, they need to eat, they like to play and they sometimes have scary things happen to them.

If you want a high quality way to introduce children to nature through literature I highly recommend Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea and the Smithsonian Oceanic Collection. This book and series would are some of my top picks for helping children to appreciate and experience the natural world.

What are some other ways you can think that would help children learn appreciate nature?

nonfictionmonday My review of Narwhale: Unicorn of Sea is part of Nonfiction Monday. To see other books reviewed for Nonfiction Monday see at Tina Nichols at Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Janet has also generously consented to do an author interview and given us an autographed copy of Little Skink’s Tai l and Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story to giveaway. Details will be posted later today.

Posted in Books for teaching Math and Science, Non-Fiction, Picture Books, Uncategorized | Tagged: Animal Books | 6 Comments »

With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman’s Right to Vote by Ann Bausum

Posted by caribookscoops on March 25, 2009

For me the story of women’s suffrage in the United States is one of the most compelling stories of courage in the United States. Some women risked their fortunes, jobs, families and their lives to achieve the dream of voting not unlike a group of rebels in 1776. With Courage and Cloth by Ann Bausum is a gem of a book that tells this story of courage and sacrifice that will keep you turning page after page. This is one of the best books I have found that describes the movement in a succinct manner that is easy to understand and keeps you at the edge of your seat. Ann covers the movement with a depth that is hard in less than a 100 pages. After reading this book you can’t help, but be in awe of these women and their courage. The story is nothing short of amazing.

The book has lots of visual appeal with primary source photographs. The text is not your typical black, but uses the colors of the movement – purple for justice, white for purity of purpose and gold for courage. The text is a deep purple, captions are gold and many of the photographs have been edited to add hints of the color in the cloth banners used as picket signs. In addition the book is well documented, a must for a non-fiction book. I would recommend this book for gifted elementary readers, middle school readers and for readers even into high school and beyond.

It has been my experience that most people know little or nothing about the woman’s suffrage movement in the United States. Sure, most could at least associate Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Seneca Falls Declaration with the movement along with a few other women like Carrie Chapman Catt and Lucretia Mott, but most have never heard of Alice Paul and her friend Lucy Burns. Not to mention the jail time some of the women served in horrible rat infested prisons, hunger strikes, torturous forced feedings and attacks by angry mobs.

Crowd Breaking Up Womans suffrage parade

I really liked how Bausum explains the two main groups who worked for Women’s suffrage and focuses primarily on the early 1900s with Carrie Chapman Catt leading the National Woman Suffrage Association, the organization originally started by Anthony and Stanton. The NWSA strategy was to win the vote state by state and had achieved some success. Alice Paul originally worked with the NWSA, but frustrated with the lack of progress started with Lucy Burns the National Woman’s Party.

A major strategy of the NWP was to appeal directly to the White House. They first staged a large parade of 8,000 women and girls on President Wilson’s inaugural day. The women were attacked by mobs of men and boys many women receiving bruisings and injuries while police officers who were supposed to protect the women often stood by and did nothing or at times helped the mob! Later women referred to as Silent Sentinels would picket the White house with banners and signs all year during all types of weather. They even continued their silent protest during WWI, which to protest a war-time president was considered very radical and had not been done by the suffragists previously. These women were among the first to use peaceful protest to achieve their political goals decades before Martin Luther King. The Silent Sentinels kept the issue of suffrage in the press and on the minds of many Americans.

votesforwomen Really this is a must read for everyone. I do have to admit that I am a bit jealous of Ann Bausum because she meet Alice Paul when she was 13, and Alice Paul is a favorite historical character of mine. After reading this book I am even more grateful for the opportunity I have to vote and that my daughters will have that opportunity because of women like Alice Paul, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Burns, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and many others. My right to vote is not something I think about, I mean I get to go and vote, no questions asked. I am so glad these women fought the hard fight and won and I can hardly think of a better way to honor them to share their story and to keep on voting.

What are some other ways you can think of to honor our foremothers?

Ann Bausum’s website.

With Courage and Cloth by Ann Bausum is part of my reading for Women’s History Month during March. Others included are The Paper Bag Princess, When Marian Sang, Wintergirls and Grace for President.

Posted in Non-Fiction | Tagged: Woman's History | 3 Comments »

Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story by Janet Halfmann, Illustrated by Duane Smith

Posted by caribookscoops on March 4, 2009

sevenmilestofreedom I first fell in love with the story of Robert Smalls while watching a PBS documentary called Slavery and the Making of America. I loved his story and was thrilled to learn that Janet Halfmann had turned his story into a picture book. I enjoy collecting picture books that teach history so this was one of the top one’s I wanted read especially since I taught U.S. History.

From the inside cover

Robert stood proudly at the Planter’s wheel. Only seven miles of water lay between the ship and the chance of freedom in the Union territory. With precision and amazing courage, he navigated past the Confederate forts in the harbor and steered the ship toward safety of the Union fleet.

The meticulously researched book does an excellent job chronicling Smalls life from birth to his training as a wheelman and eventual escape with fellow crewmen and their loved ones aboard the Planter. Seven Miles to Freedom is a fascinating story of adventure and bravery that will keep you turning page after page. Duane Smith’s illustrations are well done, though not in a style that I am fond of, but they do compliment the text well.

I really enjoyed the afterword and learning about his role as a congressman. Robert Smalls helped write the constitution for South Carolina after the Civil War, which unfortunately was later replaced by a less democratic one as reconstruction ended. He continued to push for education and spoke out against unjust laws on behalf of African Americans and women.

I highly recommend this book for history buffs and anyone interested in a true story of bravery and courage. In 2004 the US army commissioned a ship, Major General Robert Smalls. The ceremony was attended by some of his descendants.

Duane Smith’s website.

Robert Smalls is an excellent example of bravey as he risked his life to obtain the freedom he so badly wanted and deserved. What are some of your favorite historical characters who demonstrated bravery for you?

Posted in Books for teaching history, Non-Fiction, Picture Books | Tagged: Biography | 6 Comments »

Nic Bishop Spiders by Nic Bishop

Posted by bookscoops on March 2, 2009

nicbishopspiders So in this book Nic Bishop, photographer extraordinaire, takes pictures of spiders and some of them even live with him and his wife. Yikes! He really is an incredibly talented nature photographer. Cari reviewed his book Nic Bishop Frogs and a new book about butterflies & moths will be coming out this spring.

Note about spider pictures: We understand that many people are let’s say less than fond of spiders and might be a bit jumpy. So other than the book cover we won’t be putting other pictures of spiders, although we will put links to some pictures so for those of you who are brave, curious or click happy you can check them out.

Cari: One night I couldn’t sleep after getting up with my baby so I decided to go upstairs for a little while and when I went back down guess what I saw on the floor? A Black Widow Spider. Yikes!!!!! So I thought, “Great I have no shoes on if I try and get my husband up he will hear the panic in my voice and come running out and step on it.” So, me being a resourceful person I went upstairs and grabbed the first thing I could see that might work – an empty sour cream container. Which amazingly worked and of course it woke my husband up with all the pounding on the floor and he comes running out. I’m shaking and he says, “what are you doing?”

“I just killed a black widow spider.” he looks down and sure enough belly up a nice red hour glass.

So of course I couldn’t sleep and went back upstairs and thought oh I’ll just do some blogging. The first blog I go to visit, had this book: Nic Bishop Spiders. It totally freaked me out. (Obviously I got over it enough to get it from the library).

Holly: I liked the book. I really liked the blue tarantula . . . cobalt blue tarantula.

Cari: We liked that one too. Especially the one where it is molting.

Cari: Did you read it with your kids?

Holly: Yes, we all read it together after I’d read it to my toddler several days in a row for nap time story- his choice. his favorite spider, again and again was the green lynx.

Cari: I wan’t going to read it to my daughter because I thought she would freak out from the pictures that are amazing and so realistic.

Holly: I think it gave my youngest son chills. It gave me the chills.

Cari: My daughter saw the book and asked to read it. She said she liked the book and that there was a spider that reminded her of her dad. A little puzzled I asked her, “Really?”

“Yeah, mom I want to find it.” She then turned to the page of the huntsman spider. Apparently, she heard it as the husband spider, and since it’s green and her dad likes green . . .

Holly: I love the the things kids think of!

Cari: I liked that each page had some facts about the spiders.

Holly: This is a Robert S. Sibert Award book. I remember what fascinated me is all the things he does to get the pictures and his wife even goes with him.

Cari: Yeah I’m not sure if my husband was in that line of work that I would be so willing to go with him. The pictures are freaky. It’s amazing so many different types of spiders in his book doing different things.

Holly: I liked the wolf spider page a lot. I had one for a pet in second grade. I think it died because I didn’t catch enough flies.

Cari: Did she have babies?

Holly: She died right after she had the babies and I got distracted. I kept her in a big white plastic peanut butter bucket. I really like the jumping spider fold out part.

Cari: Yeah me too.

Holly: I loved that he photographed a spider in the act of molting.

Cari: Amazing how many different types of spiders there are and how large and small some of them are, but most large ones don’t live where I do. Thank goodness!

And now for a trip down memory lane . . .

Cari: Remember when I had a dream that a spider was on your stomach and I saved your life by killing it with my bare hands?

Holly: Very well . . . actually, all I remember is being awakened in the middle of the night and seeing this hand coming down. “Whack! Whack!” By the third hit my brain responded and my hand stopped yours midair. I’m pretty sure my stomach hurt the next day.

Cari: But weren’t you grateful I was willing to go to such lengths to save your life? It was a big spider, a tarantula size spider.

This is the very same sour cream container used to kill the black widow!

Holly: Yeah, sure. . . but remember in real life, you weren’t even willing to kill the Black Widow outside your daughter’s room bare handed? You had to go get a sour cream container. Does that mean I’m more important than them?

Cari: Nope, sorry. I think it means I’m a grown up now and have greater powers of reasoning – especially when I’m awake.

Holly: I’m not so sure about that. (chuckle, chuckle) Do you remember the spiders in our basement growing up?

Cari: Those things were creepy.

Holly: Yep. I remember telling Mom and Dad that these spiders weren’t your ordinary spiders. If you saw one and left the room to go get a tissue, when you came back it would have disappeared. Completely.

Cari: Yeah, so then you started trying to trap them, so you could figure out what kind they were.

Holly: I remember being so frustrated when everyone would tell me they were just common garden spiders. I mean, come on! I had a pet spider for like two whole weeks in second grade. Doesn’t that mean anything?!?

Cari: Ummm. No comment.

Holly: (sigh) Thanks for the vote of confidence. So, anyway, I searched and searched with my specimens by my side, ready to compare. I never could find a match.

Cari: I left for college so I didn’t have to deal with them anymore. Except in the summers when I came home to work.

Holly: Our brother (yes the blanket lover) would go fetch me jars when the spiders came running out. We trapped them and then I’d study them. I thought that maybe they were brown recluse spiders, but they never had a violin shape on the top. I finally gave up and went to college myself.

Two years go by . . .Cari and Holly are now roommates at college.

Holly: Guess what! I picked up the school newspaper on the way home today and . . .

Cari: Anything good?

Holly: Just this amazing article on the front page. Did I tell you I was right, or what?

Cari: (gasp) Those are the same spiders in Mom and Dad’s basement.

Holly: Yep, they’re called hobo spiders and they are poisonous and practically blind, but they do sense vibration. That’s why they always disappeared when you walked away- they could sense. your. every. movement.

Cari: (shiver down the spine) What a comforting thought.

Holly: So, I picked up extra copies to send to Mom and Dad. I can’t wait to tell them! I finally have proof!

Cari: I can’t wait to go home this summer and sleep with the spiders, that will be so fun! Not! (editorial note: once upon a time it was popular to say not after things you didn’t really mean)

The next summer . . .

Cari and Holly getting ready for bed, brushing their teeth, washing their faces, etc.

Cari: (ear piercing scream followed by a single bounding leap onto the countertop)”There’s a spider Holly! A spider!”

Holly: (also jumping onto the counter) “Where? Where?”

Cari: (trembling and giggling) “Over there! Crawling towards the tub!”

Holly: “Hey K! (our basement brother) bring me a jar!”

K: “No way! I’m not coming in there- there’s a spider in there. A Hobo spider. I’ll stay right here in my room, in the very middle of my bed, thank you very much!”

Holly: (muttering) “I’m not getting on the floor – those things have no vision! He might run right at me and he’s fast! Aha! The toilet plunger! Okay Cari, I’m going for the plunger” (can we say Owen and Captain Plunger here?).

Cari: “Good idea.”

Holly: I’ve almost got it. Just another inch. “There! Okay, I’ve got the plunger, now I just have to trap the spider.”

Cari: “Just cover him with it, then we know where he is.”

Holly: “Okay, done. Now what?”

Cari: “Let’s go get a piece of paper and slide it under like you do with the jars. Then we can shake him up and . . . we can’t drop him into a jar.”

Holly: “Yeah, he’s probably hanging upside down in there with no intention of dropping anywhere.”

Cari: “Dang it. We can’t squish him in there either.”

Holly: “At least we know where he is. But we can’t just leave him there.”

Cari: “Yeah, the little boys might try to play with the plunger. that would be dangerous.”

Holly: “In more ways than one.”

Cari: “I can’t remember how this story ends. . .”

Holly: “Me either.”

Cari: “I don’t want to be the heroine this time.”

Holly: “Oh puhlease! Do I have to do all the dirty work?”

Cari: “Pretty much. I’m the oldest that makes me the boss.”

Holly: “Could this be an indication of how the story ended? You probably sat on the counter and screamed while I went and got a shoe, and then shook the spider loose and smashed him to smitherines.”

Cari: “That’s sounds about accurate to me.”

Holly: “We did learn some good tips for spiders that ended up coming in handy. At least for me. I got married the next year and always slept with slippers under my pillow so I could put them on without having to shake them out first. My first two years of married life were spent in spider infested basements. I once found a really big one- we’re talking 2 1/2 inches in diameter floating in the toilet when I turned around to flush.

Cari: Oh, spare us the details!

Holly: Did I mention I’m a little nervous about spiders?

Cari: Why would you be nervous about them. I mean, come on! You had a pet spider back in second grade. (snicker)

Holly: Yeah, well usually that’s enough to calm the tremors, but we just moved into Mom’s basement last week while we look for a house to buy.

Cari: The basement. Eww! Gross. Good luck! Say hi to the spiders for me!

Holly: Thanks. I’ll be sure to send them your good wishes. I’ve sent 4 to a watery toilety grave so far- after squishing them of course. I don’t plan to make them suffer. Aren’t I so nice?

Cari: Oh, I’m sure they’re thanking their lucky stars!

This review is part of Nonfiction Monday hosted by Ana Maria at Books Together

Posted in Double Scoops, Non-Fiction, Picture Books | Tagged: Animal Books | 7 Comments »

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