Spiders, shadows, the dark. Making mistakes, change, being alone. These are all things the young narrator used to be afraid of. “But not anymore,” she notes. The spare yet essential text is almost a grace note to a story in which much is conveyed visually. Boldly colored, textured illustrations with die cuts show first a scene in which the girl fears each thing, and then a scene reflecting her current feelings about the object or idea. Sometimes, a scene of transition between the two is also provided, building a fuller story in which her family is seen leaving its old home and moving to a new one. One of the marvelous things about Laura Vaccaro Seeger’s picture book is that it leaves plenty of space to think and talk about what is happening. Seeger is masterful at offering just the right amount of information and leaving it up to young readers and listeners to decide how to fill in the blanks. (Ages 3–7)

There are a lot of things to be afraid of in this world: spiders, the dark, being alone. In this simple, beautifully-crafted picture book, acclaimed author/illustrator Laura Vaccaro Seeger shows that what seems scary at first, can become magical. It all depends on perspective. Using die-cuts, learn that a scary spider can actually produce an intricate and gorgeous web and that sometimes the dark can transform into a magical night sky. You'll be surprised, awed, and inspired by this clever book.

This title has Common Core connections.