Little Miss Spider

"Little Miss Spider" by David Kirk is often requested when I volunteer to read with the children at my local library. They love the storyline and that the simple lines rhyme and are easy to recite.I've read other reviewers saying that they were uncomfortable with the aspect of the book that Little Miss Spider does not end up finding her birth mother by the end of the book. In the many times that I've read this book to groups of children, they always feel the story has a happy ending. Little Miss Spider loves Betty the Beetle and Betty loves Miss Spider. They have found each other and have become family. This story helps children who are adopted feel accepted. It may also be some children's first introduction to the idea of adoption and can give them an understanding of some of their friends' families. It's just an all around heart warming story.I highly recommend this wonderful book.

My daughter and I both love all of the Miss Spider books that we had owned before. The pictures are wonderful, as are the messages. Since my daughter was adopted from China, I was very eager to get this book, since it deals with two topics that are very real to us - adoption and the fact that we don't "look alike". When I went to order the book, I read all the customer reviews with great interest. The reviews can clearly be divided into two camps, those who are dealing with adoption issues, and those who aren't. This book is a great addition to the library of an adoptive family. However, I can also see how this book might make people who have formed their families through birth a little uncomfortable, since Miss Spider in the end does not find her birth mother. However, this is reality for a lot of children, and maybe the inclusion of this book in a childs library will help them to understand that families are formed in different ways, and your mommy and daddy really are the ones who love you the best, whether by birth or by adoption. Hooray for Miss Spider that she found her forever family!

As a mother of 6 children, 4 biological and 2 adopted as toddlers, I feel this book presents a powerful message about seeking and finding love and acceptance in non-conventional places. I have been searching for books for our 5 year old adopted daughter that reinforce the fact that her adoptive Mommy and Daddy truly love her and will care for her even though she "grew in her other Mommy's tummy". Because my daughter is Hispanic and my husband and I are not, the subtle issue of the differences between the beetle and the spider were not lost on her. The first time we finished reading "Little Miss Spider" together, she threw her arms around my neck and with tears brimming in her eyes declared, "You're my favorite Mommy forever and ever!" What more could any parent ask for? My biological 11 year old daughter says to tell you that she loves "Little Miss Spider", too!

I am shocked at the first "review" of this book from Sept 1999! This book is not disturbing in any way (except for maybe the big spider eating another bug for dinner). The message of the book is that our mothers "are the creatures who love us the best" whether those mothers look like us or not. I have two children, they both joined our family through adoption. Our youngest was adopted internationally. This book sends the wonderful message that my daughter does not have to look like me to be loved by and welcomed into our family. Children whom joined their families through birth can gain great insight from this book, it is not disturbing at all. Your are reading too much into this book if you believe our children will think they can be cared for by a beatle if they "tire" of us. This book is not about Little Miss Spider choosing other parents, it is about a mother who had love to give and a daughter who needed a mother. For the record, Little Miss Spider DOES find her mother. Just because her mother turned out NOT to be a spider does not mean she did not find her mother. There needs to be more education about adoption with all children (adopted and biological) and this book is a great tool to do so. It is especially helpful and educational if you are looking for a good book addressing international adoption! Enjoy this special book!

I have been turned on to David Kirk since the birth of my youngest son who is now 2. Jake was given "Miss Spiders Tea Party" for his second birhday and we have both fallen madly in love with Miss Spider and David Kirk's exquisite illustrations. Little Miss Spider was a book I purchased just to complete Jake's set of books by this author and I do believe I love it the best. Little Miss Spider touches the emotions of any mother,adoptive mother, grandmother, aunt etc.. It shows the real meaning in being a mother and what makes you a mother. The first time I sat and read it with my husband I cried. It is the sweetest story of finding your mother I have ever read. The illustrations are fabulous as usual for David Kirk. I truely loved the feeling I got from reading it. Enjoy!