Awards
2003 Caldecott Medal Honor Book
Synopses & Reviews
"'Will you walk into my parlor,'
said the Spider to the Fly..."
is easily one of the most recognized and quoted first lines in all of English verse. But do you have any idea how the age-old tale of the Spider and the Fly ends? Join celebrated artist Tony DiTerlizzi as he -- drawing inspiration from one of his loves, the classic Hollywood horror movies of the 1920s and 1930s -- shines a cinematic spotlight on Mary Howitt's warning, written to her own children about those who use sweet words to hide their not-so-sweet intentions.
Review
"Howitt's 1829 cautionary poem is realized here in full cinematic fashion. Delightfully ghoulish full-bleed black-and-white spreads...recall the slightly fuzzy-edged figures from old black-and-white horror movies....The illustrations embrace the primness of the poem the wide-eyed fly is the very picture of a bygone innocence but introduce a wealth of detail that adds a thick layer of humor." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review
"Finely detailed scenes foreshadow Fly's demise with subtle, Charles Addams-esque humor that, while it may escape younger readers, will tickle the Lemony Snicket set....DiTerlizzi has spun a visual treat that young sophisticates and adults alike will enjoy." Publishers Weekly
Review
"The poem is more than 150 years old, but the message to children...is sadly truer than ever. The message in this new edition is told with spooky fun dramatized by Tony DiTerlizzi's silly but imaginative drawings....[T]he book will be marvelous for a simple storytime and not exclusively at Halloween or a reading animated by discussion of either the message or the artwork." Karen Leggett, Children's Literature
Review
"Most people are familiar with Howitt's poem, but DiTerlizzi's art raises this hackneyed classic to a new level....With its tragic ending, heavy moralizing, and sophisticated artwork, this book will appeal to older children as well as to adult fans of old horror movies. This title is worth purchasing for its valuable artwork alone." School Library Journal
Review
"The most charming spider you'll ever dine with!" Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach
Review
"A gleefully sinister fable that spins its tale like a great old silent film. The kind one might only see in a haunted nickelodeon. I love the beautiful, dramatic, black-and-white illustrations." Lane Smith, illustrator of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Synopsis
Breathing new life into Howitt's 175-year-old warning against those who use sweet words to hide their not-so-sweet intentions, DiTerlizzi draws inspiration from classic Hollywood movies for the dazzling silver-tinted illustrations in this monstrously entertaining picture book.
Synopsis
"'Will you walk into my parlor,'
said the Spider to the Fly..."
is easily one of the most recognized and quoted first lines in all of English verse. But do you have any idea how the age-old tale of the Spider and the Fly ends? Join celebrated artist Tony DiTerlizzi as he -- drawing inspiration from one of his loves, the classic Hollywood horror movies of the 1920s and 1930s -- shines a cinematic spotlight on Mary Howitt's warning, written to her own children about those who use sweet words to hide their not-so-sweet intentions.
About the Author
Mary Howitt was born in 1799 in Gloucestershire, England. She married William Howitt in 1821, and together the couple wrote many literary works. Originally published in
The New Year's Gift in 1829, Mary's best-known work, "The Spider and the Fly," has been enjoyed by generations of readers. Mary Howitt died in Rome, Italy, in 1888.
Tony DiTerlizzi's artwork has been featured on the wildly popular Magic: The Gathering trading cards, in Cricket magazine, and in Greg Bear's adult fantasy novel Dinosaur Summer. In addition to having written and illustrated two picture books of his own, Ted and Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World Moon Pie Adventure, Tony also provided the illustrations for Tony Johnston's Alien & Possum series. He and his wife, Angela, reside with their pug, Goblin, in Brooklyn, New York. Visit Tony on the World Wide Web at www.diterlizzi.com.