A Spider Named Itsy

Author: Steve Light

Hardcover

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Hardcover

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Description

Why did Itsy Bitsy make his famous journey? With a dose of warmth and whimsy, Steve Light’s remarkable, intricate artwork spins a backstory of unexpected friendship.

Itsy Bitsy sits at home,
drinking tea, all alone . . .

Everyone knows the rhyme “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” We know about the climb up the waterspout, the washout, the return of the sun, and the determined climb back up the spout—again. Generations of children have sung this beloved verse and mastered its accompanying twisty finger play. But what sent the tiny spider on his upward trek to begin with? What happened along the way—and where is Itsy now? Steve Light—with his meticulously rendered, highly detailed pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations and an endearing cast of insect characters—riffs on a classic as he offers some surprising answers, ushering us into a charming tale of perseverance, kindness, and community. And it all starts when a branch falls from a tree . . .

Critic Reviews

This message of picking oneself up after disappointment is delivered playfully, making it appropriately effective for young readers, and the final double-page spread illustration lightly delivers the affirmative ending message: Having friends and helping each other are happier ways to live. . . . A heartwarming take on the familiar nursery rhyme.
—Kirkus Reviews

A comically elegant, unalloyed treat.
—Publishers Weekly

This jubilant rhyming picture book expands the famous nursery rhyme into a celebration of resilience and teamwork. . . . By tale’s end, Itsy Bitsy has helped rescue the endangered, and he hosts a tea party for his new friends. The final dedication is “for those who have been ‘washed out’ and had the courage to climb up again.” Fun and inspiring.
—Booklist

Light’s detailed watercolor and pen-and-ink pictures show dapper Itsy with four legs for arms and four more with shoes, and he gives lots of opportunities for predicting the next thing to happen through the pictures. . . . Itsy and his new friends begin again in the story of resilience, determination, and friendship. Children will surely sing along with Itsy and his friends on the final page.
—The Horn Book

About the Author

Steve Light is the creator of many picture books, including Have You Seen My Dragon?, Have You Seen My Monster?, and Road Trip! A Whiskers Hollow Adventure, which School Library Journal described in a starred review as “a near-perfect story that invites children to look at its pages and make connections.” Among his board books are Black Bird Yellow Sun; Mama Tiger, Tiger Cub; and Up Cat Down Cat. About this book, he says, “As a child singing ‘The Itsy Bitsy Spider,’ I always wondered: Why does the spider go up the waterspout, not once—but twice?” He lives in New York City.