Nefertiti the Spidernaut: The Jumping Spider Who Learned to Hunt in Space

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Mims House

Annotation: Tells the true story of the spider who was sent into space, successfully learned how to hunt in space, and eventually came back to Earth and re-learned how to hunt there.

Genre: [Engineering]

Reviews: 2

Catalog Number: #167227

Format: Perma-Bound Edition

Special Formats: Inventory Sale

Publisher: Mims House

Edition Date: 2016 Release Date: 10/11/16

Illustrator: Tisnes, Valeria,

Pages: 1 volume (unpaged)

ISBN: Publisher: 1-629-44061-2 Perma-Bound: 0-7804-2130-2

ISBN 13: Publisher: 978-1-629-44061-3 Perma-Bound: 978-0-7804-2130-1

Dewey: 629.45009

Dimensions: 22 cm.

Subject Heading:
Space biology. Juvenile literature.
Animal experimentation. Juvenile literature.
Space stations. Juvenile literature.
Jumping spiders. Juvenile literature.
Space flight. Physiological effect. Juvenile literature.
Space biology.
Animal experimentation.
Space stations.
Jumping spiders.
Space flight. Physiological effect.

Language: English

Reviews:

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

Gr 1-3 In 2012, a jumping spider named Nefertiti spent 100 days aboard the International Space Station as part of an experiment proposed by 18-year-old Amr Mohamed, from Alexandria, Egypt. While the story itself is full of exciting potential, this rendition fails to take off. The brief description of the hunting practices of this species is misleading in its simplicity ("On earth, a spider would jump to catch its food and then land on the ground"), and readers won't grasp the potential difficulties that a jumping spider would encounter in adapting to a low-gravity environment. The technical oversimplifications and print size suggest the book is aimed at a younger audience, but emerging readers will be frustrated by vocabulary words such as larvae, dragline , and abdomen , which are not defined. The glossary contains only three words ( spidernaut, microgravity , and hypothesis ). Readers unfamiliar with microgravity environments and jumping spiders will be confused, and those already familiar with these topics are unlikely to learn more. In addition, the author mentions in the notes, not in the main text, that this major international experiment was proposed by a teen. Furthermore, the illustrations, while colorful, are unlikely to attract readers. VERDICT Skip this bland treatment and share the news clippings instead. Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade
School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

Bibliography Index/Note: Includes bibliographical references.

Word Count: 1,143

Reading Level: 4.6

Interest Level: K-3

Accelerated Reader: reading level: 4.6 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 185331 / grade: Lower Grades

Reading Counts!: reading level:5.5 / points:3.0 / quiz:Q75231

Lexile: 840L

2017 National Science Teacher's Association Outstanding Science Trade Book 2016-17 Alabama Camellia Children's Book Award reading listâ 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. 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's gravity. Nefertiti's 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

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