Spidermania

In this companion to Bug Shots (2011), Siy explains that arachnids are worthy of fascination, not fear. Kunkel’s electron micrograph photographs zoom in on the subjects, giving them an almost puppetlike appearance, even as the descriptions convey their predatory natures. “Toxic venom is delivered through an opening near the end of each fang, similar to the opening in a hypodermic needle,” Siy writes of the brown recluse. Vibrant coloring makes it easy to identify the spiders’ anatomical features, and after learning about bionic eyes, “ballooning” spiderlings, and other topics, readers should be impressed by the arachnids’ versatility and capability, even if they aren’t quite ready to cuddle up with them. Ages 6–10. (Oct.)