A little spider just wants to dance to her own beat - but this one ended up being a bit too long to hold my kiddo’s attention. It had a sweet message and cute moments, but overall it didn’t totally stick with us. Glad we gave it a try, but probably won’t be revisiting.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC 🕷🎻

I'm not a big fan of spiders — and to be honest, my son is absolutely terrified of them, so he wouldn’t touch this book right now. But at the same time, he loves music and is about to start his first instrument class. The illustrations are pretty charming, the rhymes are sharp and playful, and who knows — maybe, just maybe, this book could help ease that spider fear one day.

A story about being true to yourself in a family that believes there is only one way to do things. I loved the message behind the book, the art is adorable and matches the vibe so well. There was a lot of text for a picture book, but the rhymes made it super easy to follow.

4 stars

Lizzy Longlegs is the third book in Kai Luftner's Band of Bugs book series. Lizzy comes from a serious music family - very serious. They don't believe music should be fun. Lizzy is bored with playing the same music the same way all the time. One night, Lizzy has an idea. She makes flyers inviting everyone to a music festival and hangs them all over. Before her family knows what's happening, their home is overrun with musicians, playing all kinds of music. They're laughter, dancing, and fun. Lizzy is thrilled! But what will her family think? Lizzy Longlegs can be read on its own or with the other two books in the series: Jitterbug and Goth Moth. Illustrator Wiebke Rauers creates a delightfully creepy vintage world for Lizzy and her spider family. Luftner's rhyming prose is quirky and silly. Lizzy Longlegs is a fun story to share with children, especially young music lovers. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.

A really fun story about following your own vibe, even if you don't fit in with your family. This would be a really good read-aloud! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read!

Lizzy Longlegs is a delightful children’s book that shines with its engaging rhymes and charming story. The playful language and rhythmic flow make it a fun read-aloud.

However, the spider illustrations didn’t quite land for me. While they’re well-drawn, they felt a bit too scary (it's the eyes) which might unsettle some readers. This kept the book from reaching its full potential.

Overall, it’s a solid story with great rhymes, but the creepy visuals hold it back. Four stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from NorthSouth Books through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.

Lizzy Longlegs by Kai Luftner is a sweet picture book about a spider family who are all musicians. Lizzy Longlegs feels the music and wants to enjoy it with creativity and improvisation, but her parents believe music should be performed formally and that technical mastery is most important. Lizzy comes up with a plan that will open her family's eyes to the possibilities of other kinds of music and ways to perform it. The rhyming couplets use lots of words that will help young readers stretch their vocabulary while also encouraging appreciation of rhythm and the basics of poetry. The artwork features wonderfully whimsical line drawings accompanied by mixed media backgrounds of typography and watercolors. Color is used to effectively convey the transition from somber, boring technical performances to vibrant, expressive creativity. This would be a wonderful book for elementary music teachers to teach young musicians about the need for both technical mastery and joyful expression in musical performance.

Many thanks to the author/illustrator, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this picture book e-galley.

This adorable celebration of music follows an irrepressible longlegs spider who does not like the way the rest of her family plays music. These classical musicians insist that the music be played exactly as intended, they never smile and they never ever dance. Lizzy wants to improvise, enjoy the music from any instrument and most of all she wants to dance. Children will love the cute illustrations with all the spiders in funny clothes. I read this book with a three year old who couldn't stop giggling. Adults will love the message, that music can be appreciated in many ways.

Lizzy Longlegs is a great story about the life of music and how it affects and impacts each of us differently as well as teaching tolerance for other’s points of view.

Lizzie Longlegs is an adorable story of marching to the beat of your own drum. The easy flow of the rhyming pattern, mixed with the beautiful and vibrant artwork kept my 4 year old engaged throughout the entirety of the story. As a spider-lover herself, my 4 year old loved to see Lizzie represent her favorite arachnids as a strong character that follows her heart and own creativity.

This has definitely made it into our favorite bedtime story revolution.

Super cute story of a little spider who shows her family there is more than one way to be creative. Lizzy’s family is full of musicians but her dad believes only one kind of music is “real” music. Lizzy dares to be her authentic self and hosts a music festival one day to show her family there are many ways to express your love of music.

I’ve read others in this series and think it’s very cute. Loved the messaging in this one and the scene where the family couldn’t help but dance and smile. Very lovely.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a very sweet book! I love the messaging; music and art are for everyone, and there are endless ways to express yourself. I also really enjoyed the illustration style. Very cool! The rhyming unfortunately didn't always work for me; some sentences didn't have a good cadence, so it occasionally felt clunky. That would make a Storytime or a Read Aloud a little bit difficult. Overall, though, I enjoyed this book!

Lizzy is a spider who just wants to have fun—with music! Her whole family plays instruments, but she thinks they are just too serious. Join Lizzy in this rollicking fun ride told in poem, accompanied by delightful illustrations, to see if she can play her music, and have fun, too!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! This whole series is truly just a masterpiece, and Lizzy Longlegs is just another amazing addition to the *band*. I really liked how the author used a music festival as a way to get their message across to the reader. The main thing that made that choice so great was how the author made a point to let readers know that festivals (and Lizzy's festival, specifically) are for people that like all kinds of different music; they're just places where everyone can come together and enjoy music. Yet another great thing about this book was the backstory that the author made for Lizzy. To put it simply, Lizzy is a misfit in her prim and proper family. The author even took this idea and gave it a solution by the end of the story, and the way they did it was so unique and clever. I don't want to spoil the ending here, so all I will say is this: go read this book ASAP!!

I absolutely love these books!! They are just so much fun!

This book introduces us to Lizzy Longlegs [and her family], who LOVES music. Unfortunately, her family believes music should only be played [and experienced] one way [which Lizzy finds boring with no fun and joy in it at all] and she dreams of rebellion. Can Lizzy [with the help of some new friends] bring her parents around to her way of thinking and show them that music can be so much more? You'll have to read this to see! ;-)

Well-written, gorgeously illustrated [some of the best out there; be on the lookout for past friends of this series], with a lovely lesson [that is gently and lovingly taught], this is a glorious book for all.

Very well done!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kai Lüftner, Wiebke Rauers - Illustrator, Tim Mohr - Translator], and NorthSouth Books INC/NorthSouth Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

Lizzy Lonlegs is cute punk spider that doesn't want to play rote, soulless music with her family, so she organises a festival of music to get them to loosen up.

A charming tale of individuality and self expression with adorably weird and incongruous arachnids and bugs written in they rhyming verse with amusing illustrations filled with character.

I received an electronic ARC from NorthSouth Books Inc. through NetGalley.
Lizzy is part of the Longlegs family and they play serious music only. She longs to feel the beat and improvise but her parents are opposed. She finds a way by inviting other musicians to a festival and soon everyone is jamming to their own rhythms. I love the way the parents adapt and change too. The artwork is detailed and fun to look at along with the text. A delightful third entry in the Band of Bugs series. And, of course, both Goth Moth and Jitterbug join the fun and music making.

Lizzie lives with her musical family of spiders, each of which plays a different instrument the same precise way... every single day. Although they make music all the time, Lizzie feels like something missing from the strict instruction her parents expect when performing. When she begins to feel her love of music slipping away, she takes things into her own hands (or legs?) - maybe a concert will change her family's serious ways and spark a new love for music! From the easy flow of rhyme and rhythm while reading to the unique illustrations, this was an adorable and fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley, NorthSouth Books, and Kai Lüftner for this e-ARC for review!

Thank you to NorthSouth Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title to read and review. This was a fun followup to Kai Lüftner's Goth Moth and Jitterbug, which I've also read and enjoyed. The illustrations are done in the same quirky style that feels very alt rock! I love the musical themes of these books, and Lizzy Longlegs is about a family who just makes music in a very specific way - that's so much more prim and proper than Lizzy wants to create. She just wants to jam! It's a great story overall, I would just say that the rhyme scheme of the text itself was a but forced and not as natural for a read-aloud, and I'd want it to be just as musical as the story. But maybe I'm just overthinking that in light of the plot, where it wouldn't have to be "perfect" to be great art!