BEANIE’S WEB

Frieda the fly is understandably wary when she meets Beanie the spider in Ebert’s picture book.

At first, Frieda is appalled when Beanie the spider asks to be friends. After all, spiders make webs to catch flies like her! Frieda harshly declines Beanie’s invitation, suspicious of his true motives. Undeterred, Beanie patiently challenges her assumptions. He is a peaceful spider, he explains, and a vegetarian at that. Although insects occasionally get caught in his web, he always sets them free. Still, Frieda remains skeptical until Beanie reveals that he really uses his web to collect dewdrops for watering his garden. As Beanie shows off his many plants, Frieda finally lets herself relax, thoroughly impressed by Beanie’s eight multitasking legs, all watering, tilling, and snipping fruits and vegetables. Soon Frieda is joining Beanie and his other peaceful animal friends, including raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, and birds, for a joyful lunch. With its cozy watercolor illustrations and easy-to-follow premise, this short picture book offers a lesson about questioning biases and allowing others to express who they are. Although Frieda’s change of heart may seem sudden, the simplicity also makes the message accessible for young readers. The story encourages children to approach the unfamiliar with kindness and openness instead of assumptions, and it teaches them that an unexpected friendship may be waiting just beyond a first impression.

A cozy illustrated tale about looking beyond our biases.