Along Came a Spider: In Spring

Gr 1-3–A charming tale of friendship and spring. This transitional graphic novel has a pastel color palette and lively illustrations. A small, round bird with a long, thin beak arrives at a tree, carrying a suitcase. The bird has a checklist to complete: find a tree, build a nest, find a friend. The first two items are completed with varying ­levels of success, and the bird begins to sing the “Springtime Song of Friendship.” Soon, a friendly purple spider arrives, inquiring about the loud singing. The bird and spider have silly dialogue about finding friends, both expecting to find a friend of their own species, unaware that a best friend has ­already been found. Readers will delight in knowing something the characters do not. The bird and spider eat together, weave and decorate a nest, and then sing and dance together. McGrath has crafted a sweet and silly friendship story that hits the right notes for transitional readers. This is the first in a series that will follow the friends through the ­seasons.