The Secret World of Spiderwebs

by Jan Beccaloni (Editor), Namasri Niumim (illustrator)

A dazzling glimpse into the remarkable work of spiders, this book brings an array of stunning spiderwebs to life.

A National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children.

Despite their familiarity, spiderwebs are drastically underappreciated, and without them, the world as we know it would be overrun by insects. From classic orb webs and spectacular tent webs to hidden trapdoor webs and water webs that attach to the surface of a flowing river, The Secret World of Spiderwebs reveals the incredibly diverse ways spiders catch their prey.

The book explores how and why spiders build webs and features close to fourteen kinds of webs made by spiders from many different environments around the world. Revealing the artistry of these incredible natural structures, this book brings to life the spider-created natural wonders that are essential to life on earth.

Featuring foil-stamped illustrations that accentuate the intricacy of spider-web designs, The Secret World of Spiderwebs is a remarkable, beautiful, and spine-tingling tribute to spiders.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Erin Buhr]

Featuring gorgeous foil-stamped illustrations and the details on 13 different kinds of spiderwebs, this is an incredible nonfiction tribute to spiders and their webs. I'll admit I am not personally a huge fan of spiders, but even I have to marvel at their spiderwebs and the impact these creatures have on their ecosystems. A kid who loves arachnids and the natural world will soak up the details on how and why spiders build their webs and marvel at their various structures. This book goes well beyond the basics and offers a fount of information for the curious reader. It is perfect for the curious budding scientist or insect lover in your life.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully detailed book about the different types of spiderwebs (I had no idea there were so many!), how spiders construct them, how their bodies produce silk, etc. Many fascinating nuggets, such as the fact that spiders have very poor vision and build their webs mostly by feel. The foil details on a few of the illustrations are beautiful—I just wish more pages had them!

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book details a handful of specific spiders in their natural environments and the spiderwebs they weave which are different based on the type of prey they're capturing and the weather/natural environment they're in. Sometimes they're like hammocks and other times they're like ladders (I though the ladder one was neat). The webs are a part of it as are the spiders themselves, drawn in colorful and specific detail for anyone that is interested in learning more about this part of the spider world. In addition it shows the scientific breakdown of how silk is made in the spiders body and how it's "pulled out" (it is very specific about sharing that the Spidey world of launching a web from your fingers/hand is implausible since it does have pulled.)

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! I'm not a spider person, but I have always been curious about the webs. This book has gorgeous pictures that help give the facts and the facts are a plenty! So many interesting things to learn about webs. Was written a good level, easy to follow and not bogged down with unnecessary info. Stuck to the basic facts and the images helped support that. I think kids will be fascinated by the page that shows how they build the webs, and all the different kinds of webs there are. Great for schools

[Taylor Woolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and illustrated book on everything spiders and webs. There's a stunning silver foil detail on the cover and some of the interior pages. This is more of a beautiful and accessible textbook on spiders for kids than a traditional picture book. The information is presented in an interesting way so older kids may be able to read it from cover to cover. I learned a ton about spiders from reading this book!

[Allison Haehnel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite my own arachnophobia, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Silver embellishments from the cover and on several internal illustrations help the readers appreciate the delicacy of spiderwebs. Along with the specifics of webs, readers learn about various spiders, their anatomy, and various methods of spinning webs. A perfect companion for food chain study or buddy scientists.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

This is definitely a beautifully illustrated book, especially with the silver embossing throughout. There is a lot of cool information in the book. I do think the reading level is a bit high for the audience that this book will appeal to. I can appreciate how Beccaloni wants to make sure people appreciate spiders and spiderwebs.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik heb de Nederlandse versie gelezen. Ik vind het een droog, theoretisch verhaal. Het boek boeide me niet, terwijl ik het onderwerp wel boeiend vind. De illustraties zijn erg modern en kleurrijke en daardoor niet passend bij het onderwerp. Wat wel leuk is, is dat de spinnenwebben dikker zijn gedrukt waardoor ze te voelen zijn.

[Mary-Esther Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and beautiful.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME book about spiderwebs (and spiders). Great art and I learned a lot. I love that some of the webs are 3D and silvery.

[Tiffany Collette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artistic and informative book on the basics of spider webs. Learned about the different webs and how neat they are. Loved the silver foil detail

[Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

gorgeous AND informative, my favorite

[Jasmine Ballard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, if not a little text heavy for the target audience, with beautiful illustrations of 13 different webs and the spiders that weave them.