Sylvie Ashford – illustratör

“Delightful and charming . . . Deliver[s] a valuable lesson on treating all such creatures with respect, without falling into the trap of being preachy.” —Kiddiespace  A Huntsman Spider in My House features a young girl concerned about the huge unwelcome guest in her room. Rather than reacting by immediately killing the spider, as commonly taught by society, she finds another way: She catches the Huntsman instead, and then releases it outside to let it live and contribute to the ecosystem of Australian fauna. The little girl’s actions show that insects are important, necessary, not so scary, and support the world too.   “The young, nameless female protagonist of Sylvie Ashford’s charming book speaks in rhyme as she explains the habits of Huntsman Spiders to children as well as to the adults that read the book aloud . . . We thoroughly endorse educating young children to have more tolerance for the lower beasts.” —What’s That Bug?   “The story follows her beautifully simplistic childlike thought process as she explores her feelings about it, and the ways in which the spider could be dealt with . . . It leaves you with a deep sense of satisfaction, and provides a practical fear-resolution solution to which kids of all ages can relate.” —Kiddiespace   “Michelle Ray, author of A Huntsman Spider in My House, does a wonderful job weaving a story to teach young children not to be afraid.” —The Education Cafe