AUTHOR INTERVIEW & BOOK REVIEW: Threat of the Spider by Michael P. Spradlin
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ansel has never been afraid to say what’s on his mind. He’s always the first among his friends to speak up when something doesn’t feel right. When the Hitler Youth first set up shop in Heroldsberg the year before, Ansel quickly made enemies of the chapter’s arrogant leader, Hans. Of course, Ansel is also twelve years old, so he spends much of his time reading his favorite Dirk Goodly, Boy Detective novels and trying to make his friends laugh.
But more and more of his classmates have been swayed by Hans’s tactics and the Youth organization is growing throughout the city. Ansel knows that Hans and his group are spreading false information—after all, Ansel’s father is a journalist for the local paper and has been going toe to toe with Nazi propaganda for a long time.
Then Ansel’s father goes missing right before a prominent Nazi leader comes to town. With the local police in the Nazi’s pocket, can Ansel and his friends use their detective skills to find his father and thwart the Nazi’s plans to suppress the truth?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MICHAEL P. SPRADLIN is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author of the Spy Goddess series, The Youngest Templar series,and the Web of the Spider series, as well as several works of historical fiction,including the Western Heritage Award–winning Off Like the Wind: The Storyof the Pony Express. He currently resides in Lapeer, Michigan, with his wife,daughter, and his schnoodle, Sequoia. Learn more at MichaelSpradlin.com.
INTERVIEW with MICHAEL P. SPRADLIN
I believe historical fiction, done well, can be a valuable tool in teaching young readers about the world they live in. The old saw ‘past is prologue’ is a cliché because most cliches have some measure of truth in them. Freedom of speech and of the press are perhaps our two most important freedoms and they are under assault. I think what a story like THE THREAT OF THE SPIDER does, is let young readers know that these freedoms have always been under assault. And we must be eternally vigilant to preserve them.
Which of the characters do you relate to the most and why?
I’m fairly certain Ansel Becker is my spirit guide. I find that he has a lot of my personality. Humor is his default setting. He is slightly skeptical about most things. I relate to him quite a bit.
What do you enjoy the most about doing a series?
I like the opportunity to really explore the world the series is set in. As a writer, it gives me the chance to really explore the story and allow the characters a lot of freedom to tell it.
What do you enjoy doing when you aren't writing?
I enjoy pleasure reading and spending time with my family. And I am constantly working on trying to be as Zen as my dog.
What are some current books that have influenced you as a kidlit writer?
One recent book I have thoroughly enjoyed is SWITCH by Roland Smith. It’s a post-apocalyptic thriller set in Portland Oregon and it’s just magnificent.
Can you give us some insights into what you’ll be working on next?
Book three of the Web of the Spider series is called THE SPIDER STRIKES and I’ve just completed that, and am working on book four. There will be six books total in the series, and each will be told through the eyes of a different character. THE SPIDER STRIKES features Joshua who has been a secondary character in the first two books. He is also the first character to be Jewish, so I would say the action and tension in this book is ratcheted up quite a bit.
REVIEW
While Threat of the Spider takes place in 1930, its themes are alive and well in the current era. Ansel Becker and his friends, Rolf, and Joshua, love to play capture the flag and football (soccer). Ansel is especially competitive and snarky. Ansel's father is a journalist with a penchant for criticizing the growing Nazi party. Not only does Ansel's father's work bring unwanted attacks on their home (rock through the window). But it leads to his disappearance. Can Ansel use what he's learned from his favorite book series, Dirk Goodly, Boy Detective, to find his father or is it too late? As in the first book in the series, Rise of the Spider, Spradlin presents middle grade readers with a humdinger of a tale. Set during the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany that lead to World War II, readers get to see up close the growing turmoil as they face increasingly difficult circumstances. While taking place in the past, current events show that many of the same issues related to journalistic integrity, truth vs. propaganda, prejudice, and anger, still exist in alarming ways. This second book in a planned six-book series packs a punch both in terms of the experiences of the boys but also in terms of themes. Highly recommended.
PERSONAL NOTE
I knew going in that the book would address issues from the past that are very much still alive in the world. What I didn't expect was how strongly I would react to it. It still surprises me sometimes the empathy and heartache such stories can create. Maybe that's why I believe so strongly in children having books available to them that do create such feelings of empathy; books that make them think about where they stand on important issues such as freedom of the press, human rights, and basic human kindness.
Thanks to the author for taking the time to right this book as well as stopping by to answer a few questions. I very much look forward to reading the upcoming books in the series.
Comments
Post a Comment