What if a Spider Became an Astronaut? A Space Animal StoryMost 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? What if a spider became an astronaut?When the spider 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. What a space animal!
A Historic Moment in Aeronautics!
Astronaut Sunita Williams, Captain U.S. Navy, who cared for Nefertiti, 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, this strange astronaut 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. Read Nefertiti’s inspiring journey into space.
Perfect for kids who love space, astronauts, bugs, spiders, and STEM science. Part of the
Another Extraordinary Animal series by Darcy Pattison, which chronicles the story of a single animal instead of a species.
ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY ANIMAL SERIES – Bird. Mammal. Marine Mammal. Spider. Amphibian. Reptile. Mollusk. This series includes the story of the oldest bird in the world, a spider in space, an orphaned puma cub, a bullfrog with a world-record leap, and the poignant story of saving a species from extinction.
The series is
much more than just an introduction to the animal kingdom. It chronicles the story of how humans interact with animals in various ways: how we
enjoy,
challenge,
admire, endanger, and
save them. It's a fabulous series for kids to learn about the amazing complexity of animals.
- Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Disasters for Over 60 Years, Starred Publisher’s Weekly review
- Abayomi, the Brazilian Puma: The True Story of an Orphaned Cub, 2015 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
- Nefertiti, the Spidernaut: The Jumping Spider Who Learned to Hunt in Space, 2017 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
- Rosie the Ribeter: The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
- Diego, the Giant Galapagos Tortoise: Saving a Species from Extinction, Starred Kirkus review
- Pelorus Jack, the New Zealand Dolphin: Inspiring a Government to Protect an Individual Animal
- Jeremy, the English Garden Snail: Heredity, Citizen Science, and #snaillove
Children's book author and indie publisher DARCY PATTISON has written over seventy award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children. Five books have received starred PW, Kirkus, or BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, five Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book (CA Reading Assn.), two Junior Library Guild selections, two CLA Notable Children's Book in Language Arts, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book, a Best STEM Book, an Arkansiana Award, and the Susannah DeBlack Arkansas Children's History Book award. She's the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor's Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children's literature. Her books have been translated into eleven languages.
NEFERTITI, THE SPIDERNAUT is Columbian illustrator Valeria Tisnés debut picture book. She charms with her anatomically correct, yet exciting work. Her passion for accurate scientific illustrations is fueled by the textures and details she observes in nature and in animals.
