The Very Busy Spider [Board book]

Every young child should be introduced to this story, as great a classic as its predecessor The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This colourful picture book describes a spider's day. Blown onto a farmyard fence, she starts to spin a web. The other animals ask if she wants to play, but in every case "The spider didn't answer. She was very busy spinning her web." The book is "touchable:" the strands of web and other elements are embossed onto the page and you can follow them with your fingertips. But the best thing by far is Carle's familiar--but still breathtaking--skill as an illustrator; his cow and goat and dog (just to mention three favourites) capture the essence of each animal in a way few artists can hope to approach. (Ages 0 to 4 years) --Richard Farr

Early one morning a little spider begins to spin her web on a fencepost. In this multi-sensory book, children can feel the pictures aswell as see them, while they hear or read the easy rhythmic text.Alongside the visual excitement of Eric Carle's vibrant collages offamiliar animals is the tactile experience of feeling the spider's webas it grows from a simple line into a complex and beautiful creation –a perfect story for reading aloud and sharing.

Eric Carle is an internationally bestselling and award-winningauthor/illustrator of books for very young children. He was born in NewYork, but spent his early life in Germany. He returned to the States inhis early twenties and worked as a graphic designer for the New YorkTimes. He went on to be the art director of an advertising agencybefore he began writing and illustrating children's books. Eric livesin Massachusetts with his wife Barbara. The Carles opened The EricCarle Museum of Picture Book Art in Massachusetts in 2002.