The Tarantula Scientist

Text by Sy Montgomery

Photographs by Nic Bishop

Montgomery, Sy, and Nic Bishop. 2004. The tarantula scientist. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0-618-14799-3.

SUMMARY
Travel with arachnologist, Sam Marshall, as he passionately explores the rainforest of French Guiana in search of the world’s biggest and hairiest spiders; the tarantula. Much is not known of these mysterious and scary-looking spiders however, acclaimed author Sy Montgomery in collaboration with spider scientist extraordinaire, Sam Marshall and renown photographer, Nic Bishop; documents in a award honoree work of literature the physical attributes and habitat of the Goliath birdeater tarantula; the largest species of spider on the planet.

The magnificent combination of the author’s style and design is what makes this informational book a work of literature and not just a book of facts. Author Sy Montgomery invites the reader to share in the thoughts and experiences of the tarantula scientist by using a narrative voice from the point of the view of the spider expert. The style adds credibility to the work. It also allows the reader to share in the excitement of the exploration and appreciate the knowledge, which is presented at an appropriate vocabulary level. The photographs are superb! They draw the reader into the book by creating a sense of inquisitiveness. They are all appropriate, detailed, and compliment the text precisely.

The author provides the right amount of information to spark an interest in the subject and motivate the reader for further exploration. Adding to the accuracy of the informational book, there are endnotes that detail how the book was researched, spider statistics, spider websites, and even a note that provides contact information in the event you visit French Guiana or if you are considering buying a tarantula. A selected bibliography is provided. The organization of the book contains a layout, which is both logical in sequence and follows a pattern of general-to-specific. The author begins by first discussing the area of exploration, French Guiana. He then introduces the subject of interest; discussing it in general terms and only then moving on towards more specific and detail information. Reference aids in the forms of a glossary of technical terms is provided along with an Index.

AWARDS
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor, 2005.
Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee 2007

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Grade 5-10-Superb color photos abound in this spectacular series addition. Readers follow the career of Sam Marshall, tarantula scientist extraordinaire, from his "Spider Lab" at Hiram College in Ohio to the rain forests of French Guiana as he hunts for, finds, and studies the creatures he loves so well. The conversational text contains as much spider lore as scientific investigation and provides a cheerful look at a dedicated scientist. (The fact that he did not do well in school may encourage those late bloomers who have not yet found their passion in life or believe it to be far beyond their academic grasp.) Informative, yes, but even more important, this is a vivid look at an enthusiastic scientist energetically and happily at work, both in the field and in the lab, questioning, examining, testing, and making connections. A treat, even for
arachnophobes. --School Library Journal

Gr. 4-7. Montgomery and Bishop, who worked together on Snake Scientist (1999), team up once again to deliver another fascinating slice of the natural world. This time they venture to the French Guiana rain forest, where they follow arachnologist Sam Marshall on his quest for his favorite quarry: tarantulas. Enthusiasm for the subject and respect for both Marshall and his eight-legged subjects come through on every page of the clear, informative, and even occasionally humorous text. Bishop's full-color photos, which concentrate on detail, not scale, are amazing--Marshall coaxing an elusive tarantula into the open or bringing readers literally face-to-face with a hairy spider. The section on students' research seems tacked on, but it adds an interesting sidelight to the book, which is longer and richer in both text and illustrations than others in the Scientists in the Field series. Readers will come away armed with facts about spiders in general and tarantulas in particular, but even more important, they'll have a clear understanding of how the answers derived from research become the roots of new, intriguing questions. --Booklist