A Christmas Spider's Miracle

Long ago in a faraway place there lived two mothers. One, a humble peasant woman who struggled daily to provide for her children. And the other, a mother spider who also worked hard to care for her family. And although it would appear they were as different as night and day, these two mothers had more in common than would first seem. As the only holiday gift she can give her children, one cold Christmas Eve the peasant woman goes to the forest to get a tree, never noticing that someone has made a home among its branches. During the night, the mother spider spins webs decorating the tree, resulting in a Christmas that neither mother will ever forget. Based on an old Ukrainian story, Trinka Hakes Noble (The Orange Shoes) crafts an original heartwarming tale of the grace that can be found in the true spirit of Christmas. Trinka Hakes Noble's numerous picture books include The Scarlet Stockings Spy (IRA Teachers' Choice 2005), The Last Brother, The Orange Shoes (IRA Teachers' Choice 2008), and Apple Tree Christmas. Ms. Noble lives in northern New Jersey. Stephen Costanza attended the Philadelphia College of Art. His picture books are Mozart Finds a Melody, Noodle Man: The Pasta Superhero, and Ten Big Toes and a Prince's Nose. He lives in Belfast, Maine.

Format List Price Your Price Qty
$16.95 $16.95
$28.95 $28.95
Interest Level Grade 1 - Grade 4
Reading Level
Dewey 398.2
Lexile
ATOS Reading Level 5.6
Guided Reading Level
Language English
Publisher Sleeping Bear Press
Available Formats Hardcover (9781585366026), PDF (9781410307941), Hosted ebook (9781627534765)
Copyright 2012, 2014
Number of Pages 32
Dimensions 9 x 11
Graphics Full-color illustrations
  • Storytelling World Awards, Commended, 2013

A Review of "A Christmas Spider’s Miracle" in Publishers Weekly

During the “bleakest of winters,” a gentle mother spider that resembles a wooden marionette tends to her children in a fir tree; indoors, a peasant mother mends clothing to earn money for her family. When the woman moves the tree inside for her children, she inadvertently saves the spider and her babies from freezing, and the spider repays her by spinning beautiful decorations for the tree. Costanza contrasts cold, velvety blues with the glowing warm tones of the village and cozy cabin in this classic Ukrainian story about generosity and goodwill. Ages 6–10.

Author: Trinka Hakes Noble

Trinka Hakes Noble is the award-winning author of numerous picture books including The Orange Shoes (2007 National Parenting Publications Awards Honors Winner), The Scarlet Stockings Spy (2005 IRA Teachers' Choice), The Last Brother, and The Legend of the Cape May Diamond. Ms. Noble also wrote the ever-popular Jimmy's Boa series and Meanwhile Back at the Ranch, both featured on PBS's Reading Rainbow. Her many awards include ALA Notable Children's Book, Booklist Children's Editors' Choice, IRA-CBC Children's Choice, Learning: The Year's Ten Best, and several Junior Literary Guild Selections. Ms. Noble has studied children's book writing and illustrating in New York City at Parsons School of Design, the New School University, Caldecott medalist Uri Shulevitz's Greenwich Village Workshop, and at New York University. A member of the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature, she was awarded Outstanding Woman 2002 in Arts and Letters in the state of New Jersey for her lifetime work in children's books. Ms. Noble currently lives in the historic Jockey Hollow area of Bernardsville, New Jersey.

Illustrator: Stephen Costanza

Stephen Costanza is the author and illustrator of several picture books for children, including A Christmas Spider’s Miracle. His latest book, King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin, received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, and went on to win the Golden Kite Award in 2022 for picture book illustration. For several years he played the piano professionally alongside a violinist, performing ragtime, jazz, and classical music. He lives and works in North Haven, an island in Maine.

Full-color illustrations