Finding a good non-fiction picture book for young children can be a little challenging. Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider is a “find”, both for its excellent storyline with illustrations and for its subject matter…spiders!
Sloane loves spiders. She loves finding their webs.
She is the spider protector in her house.
Summary:
“Jumper” is as advertised, a day in a backyard where a spider is both predator and prey. The picture book begins with a fact-filled question:
What if you were small as a bean,
Could walk on the walls and ceiling,
Sense vibrations through your elbows,
And jump five times your body length?
For young readers who are also small, these would be amazing qualities to have!
The detailed illustrations use multiple different points-of-view. A backyard fence that a young girl can climb over is later pictured as a towering wall of wood planks for Jumper the spider.
Despite the switch in points-of-view, Sloane is never confused. She is quick to point out how little Jumper is in relation to other insects who may appear larger.
“That’s so big a fly Jumper caught!” she admires.
There is also an illustrated “slo-mo” jump that also provides some perspective. A spider jump of five times its body length is compared to that of a young girl jumping a proportionate distance of five times her size.
The factual information about jumping spiders does not get in the way of a gripping storyline. On several pages, birds circle above the yard adding a bit of dramatic tension to the story. This tiny spider must eat to survive while trying to survive not being eaten.
Audience:
While Jumper is a good read-aloud for young children, the picture book has a longer audience-appropriate life span. The supplemental information in the back of the book (“Spider Paws”, “Exceptional Vision”, “Silk tougher than Steel”, etc.) can provide details useful for science classrooms or competitive sessions of after-dinner Jeopardy!
Author/Illustrator:
Jessica Lanan is the award-winning author/illustrator of this book receiving the Robert F. Sibert Honor, 2024; ALA Notable Book, 2024: Cybils Award for Elementary Nonfiction, 2023; Golden Kite Honor for Picture Book Illustration, 2024, among others.
On her website, Lahan explains how she wants to, “discover beauty and wonder in the world by creating picture books that are inspiring, accessible and memorable.” Her extensive research on jumping spiders is also evident.
She has also written and illustrated The Fisherman and the Whale, and collaborated as an illustrator on The Lost Package by Richard Ho.
Reading Opportunities:
On Lahan’s website there are additional links for downloadable materials that can be used at home or in the classroom: a coloring page, a spider’s anatomy page, and an empathy activity.
Sloan loves nature walks, looking for animals and bugs when we are outside. Jumper has added to her background knowledge and encouraged her to look more closely at their activity.
For me, I am thrilled that Sloane is not intimidated by spiders, indoors or outside. Since she loves Jumper, I know of another special spider, a spider named Charlotte, that I cannot wait to introduce to her!
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