Sammy Spider participates in the holiday of Tu B'Shevat by spinning a special web for his friend the tree. Children's Literature Sammy isn't shouting through this book as he did through his First Purim, but then noise is not part of the Tu B'Shvat holiday, the Jewish Arbor Day. It is a quiet, hopeful holiday, celebrated by planting trees and eating fruit and nuts that grow on trees in Israel. Sammy spots Josh, "his" family's son, putting in a sapling and true to form, also wants to plant. "Silly spider," chides his mother, "Spiders don't plant, or put out buds, or drink nectar like a bee, or climb like a squirrel...they spin webs." So Sammy does just that at the end of this lovely story about the cycle of seasons of a tree¾he spins a web to keep the young tree warm through the cold winter. The illustrations are very satisfying collages created from handmade papers that beautifully evoke the flavors of the seasons. A great gift for the holiday, which falls on January 28 in 2002, and a lovely addition to children's literature about trees any time during the year. Ages 3 to 7. Paperback, 32 pages, isbn 9781580130658