Hello there! Today, we’re going to hear a wonderful story about a very special spider named Sophie. This story is called “Sophie’s Masterpiece,” and it was written by Eileen Spinelli with beautiful pictures by Jane Dyer. Let’s dive into Sophie’s world and see what makes her so special!
Sophie wasn’t just any ordinary spider; she was an artist! She could spin webs that were more amazing than anyone had ever seen. Her friends thought she was incredible, and her mom was super proud. They all believed that one day, Sophie would create a masterpiece—a truly amazing work of art!
When Sophie grew up, she moved to a place called Beekman’s Boardinghouse. It was a bit dull with green walls and old rugs, so Sophie decided to make it prettier. She started by weaving beautiful curtains for the front room using golden threads from the sun.
But when the landlady saw Sophie, she didn’t want a spider in her house and tried to shoo her away. Sophie quickly moved to the tugboat captain’s closet. There, she saw lots of gray clothes and thought the captain needed something bright and blue like the sky. She began to spin a new suit for him!
Unfortunately, the captain saw her and got scared. Sophie didn’t want anyone to get hurt, so she moved again, this time to the cook’s bedroom slipper. She thought about making new slippers for the cook, but the cook didn’t like spiders either and tossed her out.
Feeling a bit sad, Sophie climbed up to the third floor and found a cozy spot in a young woman’s knitting basket. Sophie was getting older and didn’t have much energy left. She made a few small things for herself, like a tiny pillowcase and colorful socks to keep her legs warm.
One day, the young woman found Sophie but didn’t shoo her away. Instead, she smiled and continued knitting. Sophie watched as the woman made tiny booties and a sweater for her soon-to-arrive baby.
The young woman didn’t have enough yarn for a baby blanket, and Sophie knew the old quilt in the closet wasn’t good enough for a baby. So, Sophie decided to make a blanket herself. Even though she was tired and weak, she was determined to create something special.
Sophie used strands of moonlight, starlight, and other magical things to weave the blanket. She worked tirelessly, without stopping to eat or sleep. Finally, she finished the blanket just as the baby was born. In the last corner of the blanket, Sophie wove her own heart.
That night, the young woman saw the beautiful blanket on the windowsill. It was so soft and lovely, perfect for her baby. She wrapped her baby in Sophie’s masterpiece and went to sleep with her hand on the little spider’s final creation.
And that was Sophie’s masterpiece, a gift of love and beauty. The End.
Create Your Own Masterpiece: Just like Sophie, you can be an artist too! Gather some materials like colored paper, yarn, or fabric scraps. Try weaving or gluing them together to create your own unique piece of art. Think about what makes your creation special and share it with your family or friends. What story does your masterpiece tell?
Spider Web Observation: Go outside and look for spider webs in your garden or local park. Take a close look at the patterns and shapes. Can you see how the spider has woven its web? Draw a picture of the web you find and imagine what kind of masterpiece Sophie might create if she lived there. What materials would she use?
Storytime Reflection: Think about a time when you made something special for someone you care about. How did it make you feel? Write a short story or draw a picture about your experience. How is your story similar to or different from Sophie’s story? Share your story with your class or family.
Hello, welcome to Storyline Online brought to you by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. I’m CCH Pounder, and today I’m reading “Sophie’s Masterpiece” by Eileen Spinelli. The illustrations are by Jane Dyer.
It’s a spider’s tale. Sophie was no ordinary house spider; she was an artist. She spun webs more wondrous than anyone had ever seen. Her playmates called her incredible, and her mama was proud. They said, “Someday, she’s going to spin a masterpiece.”
When Sophie reached the age to strike out on her own, she moved to Beekman’s Boardinghouse. The first thing she did was look around. She saw dull green walls, faded rugs, and old window shades. The place cried out for her talents. Sophie set to work. Her first project was to weave a web of curtains for Beekman’s front parlor. Day after day, she blended a golden thread of sun into her silk.
Then one day, the landlady noticed her and exclaimed, “I’ll have no spiders in my parlor!” She swatted at Sophie. Sophie knew when she wasn’t wanted. She scampered across the wall and up the stairs into the tugboat captain’s closet. When she settled down, she saw nothing but gray—gray shirts, gray pants, gray sweaters. “The captain needs a new suit,” Sophie decided. “Something bright. Blue. Like the sky.”
She began to spin patiently—a sleeve, a collar. One day, the tugboat captain caught Sophie at work and shouted, “A spider!” He climbed onto the windowsill and out onto the roof. Sophie did not want anyone falling off the roof because of her. She scuttled out of the closet, down the hall, and into the cook’s bedroom slipper.
Cook’s slippers were patched and dirty. “I’ll spin Cook a new pair,” Sophie thought, “after I rest a bit.” No sooner had Sophie snuggled into the toe than she was flung to the floor. It was Cook who had shaken her out. “Yuck!” scowled Cook. “Look at that ugly spider.” Sophie’s feelings were hurt. With great dignity, she journeyed across the rug and under Cook’s door.
She made the long climb up the steep stairs to the third floor where a young woman lived. Wearily, Sophie slipped into the young woman’s knitting basket and fell asleep.
By this time, many spider years had passed. Sophie was older and only had energy to spin a few small things for herself—a tiny rose-patterned case for her pillow, eight colorful socks to keep her legs warm. But mostly, she slept.
Then one day, the young woman discovered Sophie. “Oh no,” thought Sophie, close to tears. She knew she did not have the strength for any more journeys. But the young woman did not swat at Sophie. She simply smiled. Without disturbing Sophie, the young woman picked up her needle and yarn.
Sophie watched as the young woman knitted, day after day. “Booties!” cried Sophie. The young woman was going to have a baby. After the booties were finished, the young woman knitted a baby sweater. Then the yarn was gone.
The young woman did not have enough money to buy yarn for a baby blanket. “Never mind,” the landlady said. “There’s an old brown quilt in the hall closet. Your baby can use that.” Sophie had seen that quilt. It was scratchy and drab, not fit for a baby. Sophie knew the answer: she had to spin a blanket herself.
In her younger days, this would not have been a problem. But Sophie had grown frail and weak. The baby was due any day. Could Sophie complete the blanket in time? She climbed out of the yarn basket and traveled to the wide windowsill. Strands of moonlight fell into the room. “Excellent!” she thought. “I’ll weave these strands into the baby’s blanket. Some starlight, too.”
Sophie began. As she spun, new ideas came to her. She worked them into the blanket: snippets of fragrant pine, wisps of night, old lullabies, playful snowflakes. Sophie spun without blinking, or eating, or sleeping. She was never more exhausted or determined. On and on she spun.
She was down to the farthest corner of the blanket when she heard the cry of the young woman’s newborn baby. And there, on that farthest corner, is where Sophie wove into the blanket her very own heart.
That night, as the young woman was about to cover her infant with the landlady’s quilt, something on the windowsill caught her eye. It was a blanket, so soft and beautiful as to be fit for a prince. The young woman knew this was no ordinary blanket. She placed it with love around her sleeping baby and went to sleep herself with her hand upon the little spider’s last spinning.
Sophie’s masterpiece. The End.
