Economy of language, careful shaping of humor and delicate management of symbols characterize Mavis Jukes' crafting of an entertaining story of the growth and ripening of a child's relationship with his stepfather, a former cowboy. A hunt for a wolf spider and the parallel search for commonality by a boy who loves to dance and a man who's just learning the steps of fatherhood are illustrated by luminously colored paintings in a regionalist style. One of two winners in the 1984 CCBC Caldecott Discussion and the Honor Book in the 1984 CCBC Newbery Discussion. (Ages 3-11)