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Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers' Favorite
Alonso, a spider weary of his travels, looks everywhere for a place to spend the night. Sadly, all the wayside inns of the city are occupied. Even the rafters are brimming full of spiders, leaving no space for him. A kind spider lets Alonso in on the secret; that is, everyone is waiting with bated breath for the savior to arrive on earth. Tired and sleepy, Alonso finally seeks refuge in a stable, sharing it with the barnyard animals. Very soon, an exhausted couple joins them. At midnight, when the rest of the world sleeps, Alonso wakes up to a great surprise. What treasure will he discover in his humble abode? Find out in The Christmas Spider, a story by Miriam Monette, illustrated by Cassandra Sloan and Jarom Jenkins.
The title alone was enough to attract my attention, but the story proved to be equally engaging. It was a pleasure to follow Alonso in his solitary journey. I would recommend The Christmas Spider to children aged 3 to 7 years. They can read it aloud, or their parents can read it to them. The author’s ability to pen such a profound story within so short a span amazed me. Miriam Monette used rhyming sentences that made the read even more pleasant for the intended audience. The eye-catching illustrations are full of warm, rich hues that perfectly suit the city of Bethlehem. In contrast, the brightly colored spiders with their expressive faces stole the show. In this story, Monette conveys the message that no matter how insignificant we imagine ourselves to be, the Lord sees and loves us all. I commend the author for blessing young readers with this simple yet elegant book.
