The Spider Who Created the World Illustrated by G. Brian Karas Ages: 2 - 7 Orchard Books ISBN 0-531-09542-8 Available from author. To order, click here.

What's it about? "When the sky was young and the world just a dream, when the stars were still learning their names, a spider named Nobb came floating through the air, at the end of a long soft thread. On her back was a white, white egg. 'I need someplace to set my egg,' said Nobb. 'The time is near for it to hatch.'" In this original creation myth Nobb finds that no one likes spiders - not the Sun, not the Moon, not even the Cloud. But that doesn't stop a wise and determined spider like Nobb from finding a home for her egg.

Where did the idea come from? I have always had a soft spot for critters that no one else liked. As a child I was always rescuing frogs (about to be swallowed by snakes) and baby mice (discovered in my sleeping bag!) and even spiders (about to be washed down the drain). Perhaps it was the spirit of those unloved creatures that inspired this myth about how the world was formed.

What some reviewers have said: "What's great in words and pictures," Booklist said, "is the combination of mythical power and a childlike hero, one small, determined creature that makes a home in the immensity of space." Kirkus called it "an original and well-paced creation myth, simply and beautifully illustrated." Publishers Weekly called it a "well-crafted tale ... MacDonald finds poetry in concise, repetitive language and explores a metaphor that young naturalists will easily grasp." And School Library Journal praised it as a "fine achievement."

Classroom Activities to accompany The Spider Who Created the World.