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Meet the Author: Reggie the Travelling Spider
Join author Ewa Kowalska as she shares her story 'Reggie the Travelling Spider' and answers fun kid-submitted questions.
Welcome back to Kids Ask, Authors Answer, a joyful video series where children’s curiosity meets author creativity! Each episode brings together real kids and children’s book authors for a read-aloud followed by spontaneous, unscripted Q&A sessions.
The twist? The authors never see the questions ahead of time, so every answer is genuine, often funny, and always full of heart.
In this episode, hosts Amy Doslich and Samantha (Sam) Howard-Els read Reggie the Travelling Spider, written by Ewa Kowalska and illustrated by Olga Sall, a light–hearted, humorous story about a little spider with a big dream to travel the world. One day, three insects land on the spider's web, and expecting to become his next snack, discover that Reggie is a different kind of spider with a much bigger dream than they imagined. With a gentle twist, the story guides readers from fear to friendship and adventure.
As the show encourages kids to ask questions about the world around them, be curious and see just how much there is to discover, young readers who are cool with spiders and bugs will definitely enjoy watching this episode!
Amy Doslich is the author and illustrator behind the beloved Hannah Banana and Mary Berry series, a collection inspired by her two daughters. Her stories are known for their warmth, humor, and family-centered adventures.
Samantha Howard-Els brings her own sparkle as the creator of the Mungo series and Tiny Boo, books that mix kindness, curiosity, and Halloween fun.
This time, they're joined by Ewa Kowalska, author of Reggie the Travelling Spider. Ewa shares what inspired Reggie, where the idea for his name came from and how she overcame her fear of spiders. From creating cute arachnids to fun facts about them, her answers give kids a fun behind-the-scenes look at how a picture book comes to life.
The Birth of a Traveling Spider
The story was born from a curious, real-life mystery. Ewa explained that the idea for the book was sparked by a persistent little spider that lived behind the wing mirror of her car. Despite her efforts to clean the cobwebs away, the spider would rebuild its home again and again. One day, while driving, she finally saw the little culprit swaying on its web and found the whole situation hilarious, imagining the spider as a tiny traveler. This became the blueprint for Reggie.
The Name and Personality
The name "Reggie" wasn't chosen at random. Ewa revealed that the name came to her while listening to Bob Marley's songs and the soothing nature of reggae music influenced the character’s vibe. She imagined Reggie as a chilled-out, laid-back spider, who approaches life with a peaceful and friendly attitude.
Breaking the Stereotypes: A Unique Arachnid
One of the most striking things about Reggie is that he isn't your average spider. In the book, Reggie is a vegetarian who prefers having fun with his friends rather than eating them.
Real-Life Vegetarian Spiders
During the interview, Ewa shared a fun fact: there is actually a real vegetarian spider called Bagheera kiplingi, found in Central America. While most spiders are carnivores, this specific species primarily eats plant matter. By weaving this into Reggie’s character, Ewa encourages readers to look beyond first impressions and see the world through a lens of wonder rather than prejudice or preconception.
The Mystery of the Single Tooth
A very observant child, named Caroline, pointed out a peculiar detail: one of Reggie's front teeth is longer than the rest of his teeth. Ewa explained that she wanted Reggie to look "goofy" and "imperfect" so he would look non-threatening, endearing, and cuddly. She asked her illustrator, Olga Sall, to create a character, with a "huge, unapologetic grin and beautifully wonky teeth" rather than fangs. As a playful theory, one of the hosts suggested that perhaps Reggie has a "sweet tooth," which would also explain the pie he offered his friends for lunch!
Facing the Fear: Overcoming Arachnophobia
Ewa admitted that she used to be "petrified" of spiders, often resorting to slippers or newspapers to get rid of them. This changed when she became a mother. One day, when her young son picked up a spider and showed it to her with pure wonder and no fear at all, Ewa realized that fear is often something learned, not innate. Rather than passing that fear on, she decided to be brave and courageous, examine it more closely and choose curiosity instead.
Fascinating Spider Facts
Beyond the storytelling, the end of the book includes educational fun facts about spiders that might surprise even the most knowledgeable nature enthusiasts.
Blue Blood: Unlike humans, whose blood is iron-based and red, spiders have copper-based blood, which gives it a blue color. Being asked which blue – light or dark, Ewa decided on "royal blue"!
Silk Power: All spiders produce silk, and this material is incredibly strong — gram for gram, it is stronger than steel. However, not all spiders use their silk to build traditional webs; some use it for protective retreats or even for traveling (ballooning).
Multiple Eyes: While many people believe all spiders have eight eyes, they can actually have anywhere from none to eight. In the wild, those eyes serve various purposes, from detecting motion to seeing in the dark. Reggie was given two eyes to make him look more like a relatable and child-friendly character.
Spiderlings: Some mother spiders, like the wolf spider, are known for carrying hundreds of their babies on their backs to protect them. Ewa learnt during the interview that a baby spider is called a "spiderling" and thought it was a cute description.
The Power of Imagination
The book has an open ending, with Reggie and his friends heading off on an adventure. By leaving the story open-ended, Ewa encourages children to use their own imaginations to decide where Reggie and his friends might travel next.
She also left the names of Reggie’s friends: the Grasshopper, the Fly, and the Ladybug unspecified in the first book, inviting her young readers to suggest names, and fostering a sense of community and interaction between the author and her audience.
Choosing Curiosity Over Fear
At the end of the interview, Ewa was asked a "would you rather" question: would she rather be the size of a tiny jumping spider or a giant tarantula? She chose the jumping spider, noting that being small allows one to explore "nooks and crannies", and perhaps being less scary than a giant tarantula therefore safer from slippers and rolled-up newspapers!
Conclusion:
Ewa hopes Reggie the Travelling Spider rekindles a sense of wonder in readers of all ages and reminds us that even the tiniest creatures can carry the biggest adventures.
Want to Grab a Copy of Reggie the Travelling Spider?
You can find it here*: https://amzn.to/4rrUUOv
Watch them here: Kids Ask Authors Answer Interviews!
You can also find Amy and Sam’s books here:
Amy Doslich – Hannah Banana and Mary Berry series*: https://amzn.to/4eLoZ3G
Samantha Howard-Els – Mungo series & Tiny Boo*: https://amzn.to/3CBx9OF
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