Yucky Worms [Hardcover]

Vivian French (Author), Jessica Ahlberg (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: February 23, 2010 | Age Range: 5 - 8 years | Lexile Measure: 620L (What's this?)

Here’s to nature’s recyclers! Kids will burrow right into this book about the industrious — and danger-filled — life of the delightfully yucky earthworm.

Who would want to be friends with a wiggly, slimy worm? You can’t even tell which end is which! But there’s more to these lowly creatures than meets the eye. Kids are invited to find out where worms live, see how they move, and understand why gardeners consider them friends with the help of this humorous and informative look at an unappreciated — and fascinating — creature.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2—A young boy accompanies his grandmother to her backyard garden where, while planting, she digs up a worm. When the boy tells her to "throw it away," the woman enlightens him about why worms are beneficial. She explains how to tell the head from the tail; how the worms move through the soil, helping to aerate it; how their "poop" or "cast" helps fertilize plants; what they eat; and what likes to eat them. She debunks myths about the creepy crawlies and instills in her grandson a better understanding and respect for the creatures and their importance for growing plants. In the clear and appealing pencil and gouache illustrations, the aboveground pictures show a lush vegetable and flower garden with myriad insects and birds, while belowground looks like corrugated cardboard filled with worms and their tunnels. Even the worms impart information in humorous and informative speech bubbles throughout the tale. Two pages on "How to Be a Wormologist!" close the book. Perfect for a classroom science lesson, this title will also be of interest to children learning about nature.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Drawn by the slimy appeal of worms, preschoolers and elementary students alike will be fascinated by this fictional story filled with scientific facts about how these slithery creatures move, eat, poop, and help the environment. While in the garden with his grandmother, a boy describes everything he sees and learns. “Yuck!” he says, when Grandmother digs up a worm, but as they watch it wiggle to its underground home, Grandmother tells the boy all about what these animals eat, their body parts, how their tunnel digging loosens the soil, and how their waste helps plants grow. The cheerful pencil-and-gouache artwork shows scenes both above and below the ground and weaves facts into each image, as well as humorous cartoon speech bubbles: “Nice and rotten. Just how I like it,” exclaims one worm as it munches into a decaying leaf. The back matter includes more about “how to be a wormologist” and an index that can help children review the information. Friendly and interactive, this is a great choice for sharing at home and in the classroom. Preschool-Grade 2. --Hazel Rochman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (February 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763644463
• ISBN-13: 978-0763644468
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 0.3 x 10.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #75 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Nature > Gardening

More About the Author

Vivian French is an acclaimed children's author with a long and respected list of titles to her name. She lives in Edinburgh and is a regular attendee at the Edinburgh Book Festival where she hosts events with illustrators of picture books.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Children's book -- Adults learn May 19, 2010

By S. Starr

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Though this is primarily a children's book, there is a lot that adults can learn, even cute notes written in the worm-tunnels on some pages. Very interesting. A good book for Grandma's who spend lots of nature time with grandchildren.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spend time with Grandma and get a great science lesson at the same time. February 28, 2011

By Pamela Pirtle

Format:Hardcover

As a teacher I love this book. Cute story of a boy spending time with Grandma in the garden planting while Grandma teaches him about worms. Great worm information in the illustrations with the worms talking in little speech bubbles. Nice book to set out for science unit or give a child along with a bug viewer or worm farm for a summer gift. Children could spend lots of time watching and learning from this book.

4.0 out of 5 stars Child grabber. June 12, 2013

By Marion Lipton

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

My seven year old grandson loved the book. As a second grader he had no trouble with the vocabulary or concepts.

5.0 out of 5 stars Not yucky. August 2, 2012

By M. Heiss

Format:Paperback

This book is entertaining and informative -- and it features talking worms commenting on the action of the book. Can't miss. This book is a keeper.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!!!! September 6, 2010

By Gloria

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My grandson's are just starting into the "Love the Creepy Crawlies". They are thoroughly enjoying this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Grand Daughter loved it! August 24, 2010

By Joanne Brogan

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

My four year old grand daughter loved this book. She brought it to day care and the teacher loved it. My little Maddie now knows more than me about worm poop. And that is probably a good thing.