A Spider’s-Eye View Of Your Sukkah

By Jennifer Siegel September 24, 2004

From his window perch in the living room of the Shapiro household, Sammy Spider sees fall leaves, scampering squirrels and the family busily erecting a Sukkah. When Sammy — the star of the new story “Sammy Spider’s First Sukkot” (Lerner Pub Group), with text by Sylvia A. Rouss and whimsical cut-paper illustrations by Katherine Janus Kahn — asks his mother if he can celebrate the holidays with the Shapiros, she brushes him off.

“Silly little Sammy,” she says. “Spiders don’t celebrate Sukkot. Spiders spin webs.” Sammy ventures outside for a closer look at the festivities, but when his mother goes to fetch him, a window closes, trapping them outdoors. The pair finds shelter in the Shapiros’ Sukkah. Surrounded by fragrant fruit, the blue sky and his mother, Sammy hears the family recite the blessing over the lulav and etrog and happily agrees: “G-d is everywhere.”

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