Montgomery, Sy. The
Tarantula Scientist. Photographs by Nic Bishop. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company, 2004. ISBN: 0-618-14799.
SUMMARY
What critter comes from a species that has been around since the dinosaurs, prefers a quiet life, cleans itself as
carefully as a cat, and can live to be 30 years-old? A tarantula! Sy Montgomery
reveals the beautiful pacifist nature of the hairy and scary tarantula
in her book The Tarantula Scientist. Dr.
Sam Marshall, an arachnologist, devotes his profession to studying tarantulas.
Through his studies, he has discovered many interesting and previously unknown
facts about the beautiful spider who for so many years many people have feared
and misunderstood. For instance, tarantulas rarely bite humans. Sam has never
been bitten by a tarantula because tarantulas only bite what they plan to eat!
They do have a self-defense mechanism, though, that is much more effective than
a bite. Like a porcupine has quills, a tarantula has tiny hairs with little
barbs at their ends that they will toss into the air to penetrate an attacker
when they feel threatened. The hairs cause itching and sneezing, enough of a
deterrent to ward off an enemy for a quick escape for the tarantula. Sam admits
he has been on the receiving end of those little barbs, and while they cause discomfort,
they are not lethal. Readers will enjoy the close-up photographs by Nic Bishop
that accompany the informational text. The photographs, the writing, and Sam's
adventures as an arachnologist may even convince the most steadfast arachnophobic
person that tarantulas are really good guys in the spider species!
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Author Sy Montgomery uses careful and simple explanations
that demonstrate the scientific nature of studying live specimens when she
writes about Dr. Sam Marshall, arachnologist. While reading the book, the
reader grows to understand the relationship Sam Marshall has with his spider
friends. He is not set out to capture them and preserve dead specimens, as some
people think "bug scientists" do. Sam's goal is to study the living tarantula
in its environment. In this case, he is studying the Goliath birdeater
tarantulas that live in the jungles of French New Guinea. While he will take a
few live spiders back to his laboratory at the University of Cincinnati, he
takes good care of them there to ensure they are as comfortable in their
laboratory homes as they were in their jungle habitats.
As Sy Montgomery and photographer Nic Bishop accompany Dr.
Marshall through the New Guinea jungle to witness his scientific study in
action, they carefully record in writing and in photographs facts about tarantulas'
habitats and habits. Ms. Montgomery also
includes general facts about spiders, for example, the different styles of
webs, the different anatomies, or the variety of environments spiders live in.
By comparing differences and noting similarities between the spider species,
the reader begins to appreciate tarantulas who have not evolved as others
spider species have, but instead maintain the same anatomy as its ancient
predecessors had but still manages to survive in today's world.
An interesting excerpt from the book touches on Sam's
career. Sam never enjoyed science classes, which gave him a negative attitude towards science in general.
What changed his outlook? He explains that when he was a college student, he decided
to conduct a study on tarantulas, an animal that always fascinated him. During
the project, he traveled from the southwest deserts of the United States to the
jungles in South America. During the study, he found that the more he learned
about spiders, the more he wanted to know. It was at this point in his life, he
realized the truth of science. Science is about the process of inquiry, asking
and finding, patience and discovery. Before this momentous realization, Sam
never enjoyed learning science, as it was always presented in a classroom
setting, with very little inquiry on the parts of the students involved. From that point forward, Sam enthusiastically began studying tarantulas, and his discoveries have helped the world gain better understanding of the misunderstood species.
The books format is arranged as a photograph essay format. Nic Bishop's photographs
of tarantulas in their habitats lead towards a better appreciation of tarantulas. Close-up images
of beautiful spiders greet the reader on the pages. One close-up shows a
tarantula enjoying a cockroach meal, another shows a newly molted tarantula
leaving its old skin behind on a large silk hammock. Each photograph reveals
fascinating facts about the exquisite anatomy that has helped this incredible
arachnid survive for over 150 million years.
The Tarantula
Scientist successfully accomplishes what a great informational book for
younger audiences should: From the first page all the way to the last page, the
reader is captured by the excitement of studying tarantulas. The Tarantula Scientist encompasses a
variety of facts and information, not only about tarantulas, but also about
scientists and their lives in the laboratory and in the field. The final portion
of the book includes a glossary, a suggested list of websites and resources, and even some tips for a reader who may want to
buy a tarantula as a pet!
AWARDS AND REVIEWS
2005 Robert
F. Sibert Informational Book Honor
2004 School
Library Journal, Best Books of the Year
2005 Texas
Bluebonnet Award
2005
National Science Teachers Association and Children's Book Council
Outstanding
Science Trade Book
2005 Notable
Children's Book in Language Arts
2005 Voice
of Youth Advocates Nonfiction Honor List
"The
close-up photographs are astonishing and are sure to make your 'skin crawl.'
" -Laura Sweinhard, Kutztown
University Book Review, Spring 2005
"I
highly recommend it for upper-elementary and secondary students. I know it will
grab their interest as it did mine..." Adah Stock, National Science Teachers Association
CONNECTIONS
Nonfiction- Photo Essay Informational Book
Interest Level Grades 6-8
Related
Books from the Scientists in the Field Series:
The
Snake Scientist, by Sy Montgomery
The
Frog Scientist, by Pamela S. Turner
Bug
Scientists by Donna M. Jackson
Enrichment
Activities
Download class activities that accompany The Tarantula Scientist from Sy
Montgomery's website:
PERSONAL
RESPONSE
The
Tarantula Scientist captivated me from the onset. As I read the book, I could
not but help to be fascinated by not only the spider, but by the scientist who
happily spends hours patiently studying his arachnid friends. I learned that
the tarantula is actually not an aggressive creature, and instead prefers
solitude in its clean and tidy burrow. I have always toyed with the idea of
having a tarantula as a pet. After reading this book, I am thinking even a
little more seriously about it.
The Tarantula
Scientist cover illustration. Internet on-line. Accessed October 27, 2012 from http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sy-montgomery/the-tarantula-scientist/
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