Light, Steve. Spider Named Itsy, A. Steve Light, Illus. Candlewick. 09/2023. [32]pp. Picture
Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-2529-7. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
After Itsy’s house is destroyed, he sets his sights on a new home, under the eaves near the top of
the waterspout. The brief text has a clipped, staccato style: “Must get going! Wind is blowing!”
Using a rhyming text and the original fingerplay for inspiration, this serves as an origin story of
why Itsy went up the spout, and a celebration of Itsy’s resilience. The ink and watercolor
illustrations set on stark white backgrounds have a retro quality, with Itsy wearing spats and a
bowler hat, reminiscent of 1930s cartoon characters. A great choice for storytime when paired
with the original fingerplay rhyme.
Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool