THE AMAZING VOYAGE OF NEFERTITI, THE SPIDERNAUT, Kids nonfiction picture book. Nonfiction science, animal biography. Most spiders spin a web and passively wait for prey to come to them. Jumping spiders, by contrast, actively hunt by jumping to catch their food. What if a jumping spider was sent to the International Space Station? When it jumped, it would simply float. No one knew if the spider could hunt in a weightless environment. This nonfiction picture book for elementary kids chronicles the amazing voyage of Nefertiti, the Spidernaut to the International Space Station and back. She's a Phiddipus johnsonii, or Johnson jumping spider, native to western United States. Her colorful anatomy, black and teal‚ made for stunning photography and video. In 2012, Nefertitti clocked a record-breaking 100 days in space, during which time she circled Earth about 1584 times, traveling about 41,580,000 miles. Astronaut Sunita Williams, Captain U.S. Navy said, "It was a suspense story for me as it happened. I didn't know if she would survive when I unpacked her for the first time, or when I packed her up and sent her back home to Earth." This is an astonishing story of change: through the dark and cold, in spite of being weightless and isolated, this incredible spider adapted and learned to hunt. Against all odds, she survived to return to Earth, where she had to re-adapt to Earth‚Äôs gravity. Nefertiti‚Äôs story of survival brings hope that we, too, can adapt to a changing world. Join Nefertiti in this inspiring journey into space. WHAT THEY ARE SAYING "In this remarkable true story of a jumping spider sent on a mission to space, Darcy Pattison successfully weaves together life science, earth space science, engineering, and technology within a suspenseful narrative. Readers will be drawn to Nerfertiti's resilience as she tackles a challenge no spider has ever faced before‚ to learn how to hunt in microgravity. This heartwarming and educational book will make a terrific addition to any classroom STEM library." - Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan, science educators and authors of Picture-Perfect Science Lessons "Nefertiti The Spidernaut is an accurate and step by step account of this spider's journey to and from the International Space Station. Having worked on invertebrates in space experiments with BioServe, Darcy Pattison truly caught the scope of the science while keeping you rooting for Nefertiti." Mary Ann Colley, VP of Science and Conservation, Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, CO

Read Along or Enhanced eBook: Most spiders spin a web and passively wait for prey to come to them. Jumping spiders, by contrast, actively hunt by jumping to catch their food. What if a jumping spider was sent to the International Space Station? When it jumped, it would simply float. No one knew if the spider could hunt in a weightless environment. This nonfiction picture book for elementary kids chronicles the amazing voyage of Nefertiti, the Spidernaut to the International Space Station and back. She’s a Phiddipus johnsonii, or Johnson jumping spider, native to western United States. Her colorful anatomy—red, black and teal—made for stunning photography and video. In 2012, Nefertitti clocked a record-breaking 100 days in space, during which time she circled Earth about 1584 times, traveling about 41,580,000 miles.

Introduces jumping spiders, describing their physical characteristics, life cycle, habitat, diet, and behavior.

"...bright illustrations and simple text, pleasantly presented in read-along form, should be welcomed by budding entomologists." -School Library Journal

Told in the first person as if written by Arabella herself, she describes how she was the first spider to spin a web in space in 1973, and even made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Reading Arabella's diary and the story, we learn how spiders spin webs and why this experiment, suggested by a high school student, was important.

In Water Spiders, young readers will learn about the physical features and characteristics of water spiders. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage beginning readers as they learn about this type of spider. A labeled range map highlights where these spiders can be found around the world, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about water spiders online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Water Spiders also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index. Water Spiders is part of the An Eye on Spiders series from Jump!

Debunking myths about spiders, this book takes an extremely close look at creatures that have both fascinated and terrified human beings. An introduction explains what makes spiders unique. Ten unusual species are highlighted with incredible electron micrograph photographs and surprising facts. From diving bell spiders that live in bubbles underwater, to spitting spiders that shoot venomous wads of spit at their prey, to black widows and wolf spiders, this unusual book will intrigue readers and help dispel arachnophobia.