many have said it's not a children's book. I have to smile or laugh a little bit reading other reviews of this book. I still give the book a three, however, because the art is gorgeous and my child did enjoy it. These are all ideals women had hoped were dying and I am disturbed to find them alive and well in children's books. Miss Spider, however, is pleased that, "of all the spiders in the world, he chose to be with me." Leaving the impetus of power squarely in the hands of Holley, not herself. Holley coos over his bride's beauty and how proud he is to be marrying her. She doesn't appear to be looking out for Miss Spider's happiness so much as her social status. This is reinforced when May doesn't think Holley good enough for Miss Spider.
Further, May's inference that Miss Spider was somehow inadequate for not yet being married smacks of the antiquated idea that a woman's worth resides in her status as a wife. Obviously my 5 year old didn't grasp the implication of the question and the argument could possibly be made that the speaker meant in the mood for marriage, but we all know that's not what was meant. Was this book really written for children? Lines like, "Is she a beauty? Is she rich? And is she in the mood.?" make me wonder. We read it together and while the artwork is beautiful and the lyrical text impressive the topical content disturbed me. This book came home with my Kindergardener from the school library.
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