Westly

A Spider's Tale

9781629720685/$15.99/HC/Ages 4-6/Fiction/Fable

Bryan Beus

Westly is a caterpillar who emerges from his cocoon and is shocked at what he sees: He's not a butterfly, he's a spider!  Now he must learn to navigate in a world where butterflies are at the top of the social strata, the insects are the very bottom and he's somewhere in-between!

"Westly unites the insect and spider worlds and saves the day. Rich language paints lush images of life under the glass, and the author's illustrations capture the character's cartoonish charm."—Booklist

Reader and Classroom Discussion Questions 

One of the major themes in Westly is a desire for acceptance. What are some of the different ways that Westly seeks acceptance? Is seeking acceptance from others a good thing or a bad thing? How would you feel if you turned out different than everyone else? How would you want your friends and family to react?

Westly has to navigate a social hierarchy where butterflies are at the top of the social group, and the insects are at the bottom. Are social groups necessary? Do you see social groups in your school?

Westly explores a father/son relationship. When Westly emerges as a spider, Westly’s father, the Monarch and leader of the butterflies, is stunned and not sure what to make of things. However, when Westly returns from his journey, he is surprised to find his father accepts him back unconditionally. Think about the different kinds of relationships you have. Are there ways you could be more accepting of others who are different?

As a spider, Westly discovers he has a lot of talents and abilities that he wouldn’t have had as a butterfly: spinning webs, climbing up walls and into tiny spaces. What kinds of hidden and unique talents do you have?

Westly learns that cooperation is important when he works with the insects to gather food. But sometimes cooperation can lead to conflict, which is exactly what happens when Westly asks the insects to help save the butterflies from the Raven. What kinds of conflicts could arise as a result of cooperation, and how could you resolve them?

Westly is good example of a fable. Fables are stories that use animals or objects to teach moral lessons. What are the lessons learned by the end of Westly?

Sometimes authors use art to help tell their stories.  Since the author, Bryan Beus, is an artist as well, he uses illustrations throughout the book to show emotions of the characters. What are your favorite illustrations and what kinds of emotions do you feel when you see them? Sketch your own illustration from the story to show different types of emotions from the characters.

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