Stink and the Hairy, Scary Spider

Stink is an arachnophobe, a serious arachnophobe. This science fanatic and origami enthusiast loves both activities and especially when he can do them together. Stink folds almost any type or size of paper into origami creatures, fish, lady bugs and even frogs. He folds a frog, and his frog just happens to jump if you push down on its back and let go. This origami frog also happens to be made from Stink’s lunch money, a dollar bill. So out the door goes Stink with his jumping frog to play outside. The frog jumps very well and lands in some tall weeds. As Stink is looking for his jumping frog, he spies something pink. Many guesses later as to what it could be, and, on closer inspection, Skink sees a gigantic, hairy, scary spider. Just what an arachnophobe needs. It’s huge and fearsome, causing Stink to run to his room and hide under a blanket. He had to find help from someone who was not afraid of spiders. Judy Moody was not afraid of spiders, not one little bit. Judy and many of Stink’s friends come out to help, and, because it is decided that it might be a pet tarantula, an all out search began. It was very hard for Stink to think of handling the spider, but, if it was a pet, someone was missing it, and perhaps the health of this spider was in jeopardy. After much trial and tribulation, the spider and its owner are back together.

Megan McDonald has written another exciting adventure involving Stink. Stink seems like an average kid with average interests, such as dinosaurs and bugs, which makes this a story to which children can relate, but, like every normal child, he also has some fears and insecurities. Stink’s fear of spiders is something he knows he must get over, and, with the help of his friends and family, he is successful. The story ends with Stink’s sitting on his steps outdoors, gazing at the stars and thinking about all the wonders of the world and the universe. What a perfect ending.

I loved this story because it shows how teamwork and friends and family can help when a problem seems too difficult to deal with on your own, but I also enjoyed learning many new facts about spiders. For instance, I had no idea that there are spiders that look like twigs or that there’s a spider that spits poison at its victims. It is fun to read about these amazing facts presented in the many cartoons and illustrations inside the covers.

Stink and the Hairy, Scary Spider is an excellent book to read for fun or as an enhancement to a language or science theme.