Interesting and informative book focusing on an arachnologist's search for a venomous spider. Great photographs. Format and style is very much like Houghton Mifflin's Scientists in the Field series. ( )

"The ability to adapt to a wide variety of habitats. A tool kit filled with an array of silks. Venomous fangs. Sensitive, hairy legs. Put it all together, and you’ve got a survivor: the spider."
Scientist Greta Binford has a theory that a certain species of spiders, the venomous recluse (Loxosceles) traveled over a land bridge millions of years ago. If she can locate them in the Caribbean, it will give her more evidence to prove her theory. Author Kathryn Lansky and photographer Christopher G. Knight follow Binford on her travels and into the lab with lots of spiders. Why are spiders so important? Aside from what they contribute to the ecological web of life, their venom has different compounds which affect their prey in different ways: some kinds paralyze, some knock out the victim, and some dissolve flesh into liquid! These could be developed into medicines and treatments for disease, which could help doctors and researchers save lives. Figuring out how the spiders' DNA creates and alters the different kinds of venom could lead to even more medical discoveries and new methods of producing medicines. Lots of amazing photos of spiders and science in action make this a fascinating read! 6th grade and up. ( )

Although not a Scientist in the Field title, this would fit well among them as it explores the work of Greta Binford and her work in collecting spiders. She was a watcher as a child, observing the wonders of nature around her and that led to her career -- a field she is totally passionate about. Wonderful photos show her working both in the lab and in the field as she asks big questions -- looking for an ancestral connection between North American spiders and their South American cousins. ( )

Little Kid Reaction: I let my neighbor’s daughter look at this book. She wasn’t too interested in spiders but she showed it to some boys she knows and they loved it.

Big Kid Reaction: The photography and information in this book are very good. I found the book fascinating. This is enjoyable for reading and would also be valuable for school research projects.

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