The Deadlies: Spiders on the Case

by Kathryn Lasky

Overview

Can Jo Bell spin a web big enough to catch . . . a criminal? The world's friendliest spiders take center stage in bestselling author Kathryn Lasky's latest book about The Deadlies!They're sweet and friendly . . . but they just happen to be super toxic. The Deadlies are the world's most misunderstood family of spiders. Kicked out of home after home, all the Deadlies want is to settle down in a cozy web with no exterminators around.Now they've found the perfect place - the Rare Books room at the Boston Library. The librarian isn't afraid of the Deadlies, and they have lots of lovely books to explore. But their peace is threatened when a thief starts targetting the library. Can the Deadlies spin a web big enough to catch a crook - or is it back on the road once more?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545392310
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	04/01/2012
Series:	The Deadlies , #2
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
Lexile:	680L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Kathryn Lasky is the Newbery Honor-winning author of over 100 books for children and young adults. Her beloved Guardians of Ga'Hoole fantasy series has more than seven million copies in print, and she is the author of the Daughters of the Sea series and the Wolves of the Beyond series, as well as A Time for Courage and other Dear America titles. Kathryn has also written a number of critically acclaimed historical fiction titles, such as Beyond the Burning Time and True North. She lives with her husband in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Deadlies: Felix Takes the Stage

"This nicely designed chapter book features appealing characters facing dangers with courage but searching for something more in their lives than either swashbuckling adventure or cozy domesticity." - Booklist

"Humor and action seamlessly blend as these arachnids struggle for survival against the scary E-Men who threaten them with extermination. Vivid characters, from the theatrical godspider Fat Cat to the pompous orb weaver Oliphant Uxbridge, make up the clever supporting cast. Genuinely funny dialogue helps move the brief chapters along, and Gilpin's lively black-and-white drawings provide an animated accompaniment" - Kirkus

From the Publisher

Gr 3–5—The Deadlies, a family of brown recluse spiders, think they have finally found a secure home in the rare book room of the Boston Public Library. For the first time, a human, Tom the librarian, welcomes them. He knows spiders eat silverfish, beetles, and other creatures that damage books. Jo Bell and her family know something is amiss when two regular patrons sneak in their X-Acto knives. They are stealing rare maps, and the spiders want to put a stop to it. A new arachnid friend named Buster knows a thing or two about solving crimes. By using knowledge learned in a pop-up book, the spiders set a trap and find a way to communicate with Tom. Young readers will relate to the family drama and rivalry between Jo Bell and her siblings. There are moments of good humor. The spiders in the illustrations are full of expression, and the drawings help move the story along. Fans of Lasky's talking animal fantasies will be caught up in this clever family's web.—Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH

School Library Journal