by Emma Read
Much love and congratulations to all the Nineteen Newbies (or whatever we’re calling ourselves this month!).
I am also indebted to Sarah and Jo at Writer’s HQ, Ellen Brock, freelance editor, and Rachael Mortimer Proofreading Services for their help and support.
I’m no spider expert, but fortunately I know someone who is. Thank you to Mark Bushell, Curator of Invertebrates at Bristol Zoo Gardens, for fact-checking, encouragement and introducing me to some exceptionally beautiful arachnids and insects at Bug World.
Which just leaves me to thank the most important people in all this – James, Elly and Alden, who I am ashamed to say have been on the receiving end of many a late dinner, slap-dash homework help, and the occasional blind panic. Somehow, though, through it all they continue to believe in me, cheer me on and bring me tea. Love you.
And if you’ve read this far, a short plea on behalf of the natural world. If you’ve found a place in your heart for Milton, maybe there’s room for other animals, mighty and mini. Our wildlife is under threat and needs your help. Spider Warriors unite!
Text © Emma Read 2019
Cover and interior illustrations © Alex G Griffiths 2019
First paperback edition published in Great Britain in 2019
This electronic edition published in 2019
Chicken House
2 Palmer Street
Frome, Somerset BA11 1DS
United Kingdom
www.chickenhousebooks.com
Emma Read has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical or otherwise, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express prior written permission of the publisher.
Produced in the UK by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
Cover and interior design by Helen Crawford-White
Cover and interior illustrations by Alex G Griffiths
British Library Cataloguing in Publication data available.
PB ISBN 978-1-911490-81-4
eISBN 978-1-912626-31-1
