A humorous story written as a poem about a family’s encounter with a Huntsman spider, exploring themes of nature, fear, understanding and the resilience of one of nature’s remarkable creatures.
Book Description
It is quite understandable if one is scared of spiders, especially ones that look large.
A Huntsman with its hairy, flat body, eight legs, and eight eyes might appear terrifying, but they are actually harmless to humans. Found in many countries—and especially in Australia—some species can stretch out as long as a banana! They like warm houses where they can hunt flies, cockroaches, and other insects.
Imagine going into your bathroom and finding one staring right back at you.
That is exactly what happens to Mrs. Morey. Terrified, she is determined to get rid of it—by having Mr. Morey do it! And so, the hunt for the Huntsman begins. Will Mr. Morey find their “horrid” visitor, or will the spider prove too clever? As Mrs. Morey imagines the worst and takes matters into her own hands, everyone is in for a nasty shock, especially poor Mr. Morey!
Written as a humorous poem and beautifully brought to life with watercolour-on-canvas illustrations, Donny’s Horrid Huntsman is a delightful tale for the whole family.
Special Thanks are extended to Aaron Healey for assisting with photographing the painted canvases for the Illustrations.
Publication Details:
Age range: 6-12
Grade level: Year 1 – Year 6
Print ISBN 978-1-7636358-8-3
Publication Date: 26 March 2026
Categories:
- JUVENILE FICTION / Animals / Insects, Spiders
- JUVENILE FICTION / Poetry / Stories in Verse
- JUVENILE FICTION / Humorous Stories
Print length: 34 pages
Language: English
Dimensions: 21.59 x 1.02 x 21.59 cm
Availability
Order Donny’s Horrid Huntsman securely online for $19.80 AUD (saving around 28% off the standard retail list price of $27.45 AUD through major online retailers) through our official online bookstore. Shipping options are calculated at the checkout.
This book is available through online retailers, as well as through retail book shops and libraries. Outlets that do not stock it can order it through the global distribution network for libraries and retailers.
Signed Copy
(for postage in Australia only)
Prefer a signed copy? Order directly from the author for $28 AUD (plus tracked domestic postage). Send a quick message to arrange your personalised copy and delivery details. Contact An Imaginarium’s Admin.
Book Reviews
On Good Reads: Rated 5 stars:
My daughter, aged 12 read this and wrote a review:
“I liked how parts of it rhymed and the colours behind the text were so colourful and vibrant. I really liked the story, and I think younger kids would find it funny. I liked the style of the pictures. The swirly pictures were really nice and pretty” Louise Valente
On Good Reads: Rated 5 stars
“As someone who has seen Diann’s passion for storytelling evolve over the years, I am so excited to see her bring this wonderful tale to life. Donny’s Horrid Huntsman is such a relatable, funny read—we’ve all had that ‘spider in the bathroom’ moment! The rhyming is effortless and fun to read out loud, but what truly makes this book special are the vibrant, hand-painted watercolours. You can really feel the personality in characters like Donny and the ‘misunderstood’ Huntsy himself. It’s a charming, whimsical debut that captures the humor of everyday life perfectly. A must-have for families who enjoy a good laugh and a unique artistic style!”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250432331-donny-s-horrid-huntsman
On Good Reads: Rated 5 stars
“Fantastic book filled with amazing artwork and colours, can’t wait to surprise my little girl with this book! Thank you.” Damon Ede
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250432331-donny-s-horrid-huntsman
Available for Schools and Educational Institutions
Donny’s Horrid Huntsman is listed in the AUSTLIT database, a unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling. As such it is available to members of subscribing libraries, universities, schools, educational institutions, and other organisations. The National Library of Australia, most Australian state libraries, almost all Australian universities and many schools and other organisations subscribe to AustLit.
