There's a Spider in the Bath!

Neil Griffiths nails the preschool experience here: Stanley's bath-time excuse-making will get immediate nods of recognition from every young child in the room, and the twist that the spider really is there this time is simple, funny, and satisfying. Peggy Collins' illustrations support the gentle suspense well, and the accompanying CD and pop-up spider add interactive value that makes this more than just a page-turner at story time. The read-aloud rhythm is easy and engaging for adults too. The honest caveat is that children with genuine arachnophobia may find the pop-up element more alarming than funny, and the narrow subject matter means reread appeal will fade once the novelty wears off. For the right young reader at the right age, it's a sweet bath-time ritual book.