Kathryn Lasky: Review of the Deadlies

Publishers Weekly

Lasky (the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series) launches a new series, the Deadlies, centering on a family of toxic brown recluse spiders who feel misunderstood by humans. Felix, his worrywart mother, and two sisters flee their home in a Los Angeles philharmonic hall after the conductor spies (and wounds) Felix, and they know an exterminator will be summoned ("May Felix molt soon so his leg grows back!" prays Edith). Accompanied by a wise cat, the arachnids relocate to an antique shop, where they encounter spiders of various species and temperaments. Fear of an exterminator prompts another move, and they board a Boston-bound bus to live in a library. Lasky's prose strikes an excellent balance between naturalism and anthropomorphism (Gilpin's spirited cartoon illustrations tend toward the latter). Baseball cap–wearing Felix, an artist at heart, bristles at the necessarily reclusive nature of his species ("Should he be judged by the venom in his fangs?"). If the story meanders a bit as the spiders travel cross-country, readers will find plenty to enjoy in the frequently comic dialogue and well-integrated facts about spiders. Ages 7–9. (May)

Kirkus Reviews

When the brown recluse spider Felix attempts to feel the vibrations of an acclaimed maestro's baton, he disobeys his mother's most basic principle: "[N]ever, ever reveal yourself to human beings." His unexpected appearance proves disastrous for the startled conductor he admires. The consequences of Felix's impetuous act catapult his family from their peaceful home in the philharmonic hall to a cross-country adventure. His mother craves anonymity for her children, and Felix struggles to balance his parent's instructions against his need for creative expression. Humor and action seamlessly blend as these arachnids struggle for survival against the scary E-Men who threaten them with extermination. Vivid characters, from the theatrical godspider Fat Cat to the pompous orb weaver Oliphant Uxbridge, make up the clever supporting cast. Genuinely funny dialogue helps move the brief chapters along, and Gilpin's lively black-and-white drawings provide an animated accompaniment. While the message-driven conclusion may distract from the fast-paced narrative, this is still a successfully spun tale. (Animal fantasy. 6-9)

Booklist

Advanced Review – Uncorrected Proof

Lasky, Kathryn (Author) , Gilpin, Stephen (Illustrator) May 2010. 160 p. Scholastic, hardcover, $15.99. (9780545116817).

The first volume in the Deadlies series introduces young Felix and his family of recluse spiders. A lover of the arts whose recklessness brings about the loss of a leg (later regenerated) and the collapse of a beloved conductor, Felix lives with his mother and two sisters beneath the stage of the philharmonic hall in Los Angeles, where they are protected by a theater cat known as Fatty. Soon fleeing the exterminator, they move into a nearby shop before taking a cross-country bus to their new home, the Boston Public Library. The fact that recluse spiders are venomous (as the series title suggests) lends an edge to the story of this little arachnid family. Although the final art was not seen, Gilpin’s many drawings have plenty of energy, action, and easy-to-read emotional content. This nicely designed chapter book features appealing characters facing dangers with courage but searching for something more in their lives than either swashbuckling adventure or cozy domesticity.

— Carolyn Phelan