Tony DiTerlizzi

Books: Children's Books

The Spider and the Fly (2002)

The Spider and the Fly based on the tale by Mary Howitt.

We purchased this book for Wilson for his birthday, although Shawna says Wilson didn't like it as much. That could be because the book is a little to old for him, which I considered, but the decided that he'd eventually grow into it, and that it was better to get books as I found them, lest they be there no more. I, on the other hand, loved this book so much I bought myself a copy of it.

The poem is one with which we are all familar with at least the opening line "'Will you wak into my parlor?' Said the spider to the fly." Though it's been repeatedly misquoted and few know the rest of the poem. Thus is has been resurrected with the artwork of Tony DiTerlizzi.

And the artwork for this book is fantastic. The drawings are entirely in black and white, with no color, which may seem stark in description, but is absolutely perfect in execution. The fly is drawn as a 20s flapper (!), and the spider reminds me of every old black and white movie villian, right down to the pencil mustache.

I think, however, that my favorite part of the book is the depiction of the two 'ghost' bugs who toil endlessley to warn the fly away from the parlor of the spider, going to far as to hold up a copy of 'The Joy of Cooking Bugs' which amused me to no end.

There are sketches and art on the website, so you can get an idea for yourself of what the art is like, and whether it is to your taste or not.

But I don't think it's just me, for the book is a Caldecott Honor Book.