Spider Boy (novel)

Spider Boy is a young adult novel written by Ralph Fletcher, first published in 1997.

Spider Boy
Hardcover first edition
AuthorRalph Fletcher
GenreYoung adult
PublisherClarion Books
Publication date
1997-04-14
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages183
ISBN978-0-395-77606-3
OCLC35029741
LC ClassPZ7.F634 Sp 1997

Plot Summary

Bobby Ballenger is starting a new school a thousand miles from his old home. He moved from Illinois to New Paltz, New York and his interest in spiders has earned him the nickname of Spider Boy from Illinois given to him by the class bully. His pet tarantula has not eaten since the family moved which has made him nervous about its health. Bobby keeps a journal where he records interesting facts about spiders and then uses it to record his frustrations and realizations about his new school.[1]

Reception

Elizabeth Watson in her review for Horn Book Magazine said that "while accessible and fast-moving, the book is not lightweight; it deals head on with problems such as the bully who deliberately kills one of Bobby's pet tarantulas, a cheating incident, and the question of forgiveness. Although the book is somewhat didactically programmed, Bobby remains a sympathetic protagonist, realistic in his imperfections."[2] Adele Greenlee in her review for School Library Journal was mixed saying that "the use of spiders in Bobby's journal and in the plot is a unique unifying theme of this novel. However, the character development is less successful. It takes awhile for readers to care about Bobby. The supporting characters are stereotypes (bully, understanding teacher, confident older sister). The story moves slowly and is limited in intensity until a final crisis. The resolution is predictable but upbeat. Bobby finds a niche for his unique interests, new friends with whom to play football, and a teensy bit of romance."[3]

Notes

  1. Broaddus, Karen; Gay Ivey (September 1, 2002). "Surprising the writer: Discovering details through research and reading". Language Arts: 23. ISSN 0360-9170.
  2. Watson, Elizabeth S (July–August 1997). "Spider Boy". Horn Book Magazine. 73 (4): 454–455. ISSN 0018-5078.
  3. Greenlee, Adele (July 1997). "Grades 5 & up: Fiction". School Library Journal. 43 (7): 93. ISSN 0362-8930.


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