“The Spider That Saved Christmas” the Christmas Book for children of all ages
A spider with a purpose: Raymond Arroyo Pens Christmas book for children of all ages
"The Spider That Saved Christmas" is a legendary tale that shines with the light of Christ.
Raymond Arroyo wrote an illustrated book about a Christmas legend.
Raymond Arroyo wrote an illustrated book about a Christmas legend. (photo: Sophia Institute Press)
Kerry Crawford and Patricia A. Crawford
Books
14 October 2020
The spider that saved Christmas
A legend
Written by Raymond Arroyo
Illustrated by Randy Gallegos
The common thread that runs through all of Raymond Arroyo's endeavors is his ability to come up with a good story.
Arroyo, founder and news director for EWTN (Register's parent company) and host and editor-in-chief of The World Over network, is the author of a number of books, including a biography of Mother Angelica and her popular adventure series. Will Wilder young readers in the middle classes. The launch of the Will Wilder series was new ground for Arroyo, who is the father of three.
In time for Christmas, Arroyo the narrator does it again.
With this week's release of the heartwarming picture book The Spider That Saved Christmas, Arroyo travels back in time to revive an almost lost legend.
In the new tale, the Holy Family is on the move at night, fleeing to Egypt from the advancing soldiers of Herod. While taking refuge in a cave, Nephila, a large spider with a golden back, hangs over Mary and the Child. Joseph cuts his web, sending Nephila into the shadows to protect her future: her sack of eggs.
As Joseph lifts his staff again, Mary stops him. “Everyone is here for a reason,” he warns.
Later Nephila hears the distant cries of children in danger. Seeing the Child Jesus, he knows what he must do and does what he knows best.
He turns around. Weaves.
Her silk threads join in the intricate golden cobwebs her family is known for. The suspense builds as she and her older children work all night. Will they end? What will the soldiers find when they approach the cave with their mouths open in the morning? Will he be able to protect this holy trio?
As good legends often do, The Spider That Saved Christmas tells a historical truth - the flight to Egypt - but, delightfully, adds so much more.
However, and this is important for young readers who dabble in both fictional and precision elements, his demeanor is perfect. Like those of her descendants, the Golden Silk Orb Weavers, her webs gently lift and anchor, setting the stage for her to move back and forth to add the necessary threads, both strong and springy. It is so true that readers may wonder, even if only for a fleeting minute, "Could this really have happened?" And, in the next moment, they just wish it were.
The spider that saved Christmas is at the center of a pourquoi story. French for "why," pourquoi legends are origin stories that explain how things became the way they are - similar to Rudyard Kipling's "Just So" stories.
Why do we hang glittering tinsel as a finishing touch to our evergreen branches? Why do so many people in Eastern Europe, where this story is ingrained, still stick a spider ornament between their tree decorations? Nephila, a spinner of glittering webs, holds the answers and asks a question: if a tiny spider like her could sacrifice itself at such a high price, what can we do to embrace this Son of Mary?
"Like each of us ...
It was there for a reason. "
Arroyo's text and illustrations by artist Randy Gallegos work in tandem to present the story as if it were a film, moving dynamically but subtly from frame to frame. Gallegos' work is dazzling in brightness and contrasts. Readers need only follow the light: the lantern in Joseph's hand, leading his young family into the darkness of the cave; the brilliant golden back of Nephila at work; the moonbeam that penetrates the recesses; and the sunlight that touches the cloth of cobwebs in the morning - to remind you that the light of Christ conquers all darkness. This is a theme that young readers can gently absorb and grow in their understanding as they revisit the story from one Christmas to the next.
A good picture book isn't just for kids. Indeed, CS Lewis, no stranger to writing for young readers, noted that "a children's story that is only appreciated by children is a bad story for children." The Spider That Saved Christmas, the debut book of a larger "series of legends," will find a dear home in the hearts of parents and children.