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There's a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm's Story Paperback – October 6, 1999

by Gary Larson (Author)

160 customer reviews

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Once upon a time in a place far away, lived a man named Gary Larson who used to draw cartoons. It was a cartoon that appeared for many years in daily newspapers and was loved by millions. (And was confusing to millions more.) But one day he stopped.

Gary went into hiding. He made a couple short films. He played his guitar. He threw sticks for his dogs. They threw some back.

Yet Gary was restless. He couldn't sleep nights. Something haunted him. (Besides Gramps.) Something that would return him to his roots in biology, drawing and dementia--a tale called There's a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm's Story.

It begins a few inches underground, when a young worm, during a typical family dinner, discovers there's a hair in his plate of dirt. He becomes rather upset, not just about his tainted meal but about his entire miserable, wormy life. This, in turn, spurs his father to tell him a story--a story to inspire the children of invertebrates everywhere.

And so Father Worm describes the saga of a fair young maiden and her adventuresome stroll through her favorite forest, a perambulator's paradise. It is a journey filled with mystery and magic. Or so she thinks.

Which is all we'll say for now.
What exactly does the maiden encounter?
Does Son Worm learn a lesson?
More important, does he eat his plate of fresh dirt?

Well, you'll have to read to find out, but let's just say the answers are right under your feet.

Written and illustrated in a children's storybook style, There's a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm's Story is a twisted take on the difference between our idealized view of Nature and the sometimes cold, hard reality of life for the birds and the bees and the worms (not to mention our own species).

Told with his trademark off-kilter humor, this first original non--Far Side book is the unique work of a comic master.

Now Larson can finally sleep at night. Question is, will you?

There's a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm's Story

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Dirt for breakfast, dirt for lunch and dirt for dinner! Dirt, dirt, dirt! And look--now there's even a hair in my dirt! The final insult--I can't stand it any longer! I hate being a worm!" It isn't easy being an earthworm, and when one little guy gets mad at a hair in his dinner, Father worm decides to tell him a story. What follows is an ecological fable that combines environmental lessons with the kind of off-the-wall humor that could only come from one man: Gary Larson. Fans of The Far Side have been waiting for Larson's latest work since January 1995 when the final Far Side strip appeared in newspapers around the world, and they won't be disappointed. Father worm tells the story of Harriet, a beautiful but stupid maiden who frolics through the forest enjoying the beauty of nature, but completely failing to understand it. The young earthworm learns that nature is not a cute and cuddly theme park designed for the entertainment of stupid humans, but a complex, fragile, and sometimes violent system where every creature plays a vital role, even the lowly worm.

Larson is never preachy, the text is hilarious, and his illustrations are filled with wonderful sight gags. It may look like a children's book, but there's enough here to keep the most sophisticated adult chuckling for hours. You might learn something, too. --Simon Leake --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-A truly twisted fairy tale that is perfect for teens who enjoy the macabre. In his offbeat and inimitable style, Larson presents a biology lesson through his narrator, an earthworm. During dinner, when a young worm expresses disgust at finding a hair in his dirt as well as at his lot in life as the "lowest of the low," his father tells him a story about a beautiful human maiden, Harriet, who loves nature but doesn't understand it. As she cavorts through the woods, her ignorance produces some unfortunate results including the demise of a land tortoise. The humor and clever illustrations will appeal to YAs while illuminating some realities about wildlife. A charming firefly is observed flashing a prospective mate by opening his raincoat. Harriet feeds a sweet group of squirrels, while behind a tree a lone red squirrel is forced to hand over his acorn to a gang of gray squirrels, one of which is wearing a T-shirt bearing the inscription, "I kicked Thumper's Ass." The story concludes after Harriet saves a mouse; as the vector of a deadly disease, it infects Harriet, who dies and decomposes above the worm family's home, hence the hair in the dirt. Father worm explains that those who romanticize parts of nature while disparaging others fail to understand the inherent interconnections. The little creature regains his self-esteem in the knowledge that lowly worms aerate the earth's soil, preparing it for plant life, thus insuring the existence of the animals that depend on it.
Debra Shumate, Bull Run Regional Library, Manassas,
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product details

Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; First Edition edition (October 6, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060932740
ISBN-13: 978-0060932749
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 10.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 160 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,149 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #70 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Cats, Dogs & Animals
- #346 in Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design
- #399 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Satire

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160

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Top customer reviews

mood? Learning with satire. I use this to ...

ByDavid H.on July 21, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

mood? Learning with satire. I use this to introduce Ecology, at the University level. I wish Gary did more Biology/Science topics. A textbook would be to die for. I bought 10 total, as a barrow able class set. I added them to the 6 I already have.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

This is a very fun Gary Larson book

ByBobon April 10, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a very fun Gary Larson book. I use it to teach concepts of biology and the kids seem to very much enjoy it. The shipping was timely and prompt, the quality of the binding is first rate and it is very durable. The story is fun and interesting and has a bit of a twist, which is what I would expect from Gary Larson.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Bought for my grandson; read it myself 3 times!!!!

Bynjnanaon April 17, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

First, I'm a big Far Side fan. I didn't know this book existed until I was "googling" Gary Larson to see if he ever returned to his profession and read about this book. I ordered it immediately. . I giggled and giggled at the cartoons (don't miss the tiny ones in the corners) and the text. I'm not surprised that teachers are using this; very educational but also humor that should appeal to many age levels. The humor is a little dark at the end ...should I have been surprised!?:)...and I wasn't quite sure about giving to an 11 year old who might find it a bit dark...but I'm going for it! Maybe a new generation to share my old Far Side books with:)?

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Funny and educational

ByKrison December 22, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Funny and educational! I read it with my 9yo and she thought it was pretty funny. I initially got it for my 7yo nephew but I thought it would be too difficult for a 7yo to read, although if someone read it to him, he could probably understand it.
Its a good lesson in ecology and care of the environment.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good, but cutely vulgar.

ByJeff Knighton November 21, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Good book, but be aware it's not for your first grade kids. The "I kicked thumper's ass" t-shirt and the page about flowers being sex maniacs are good examples of this.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Timely, twisted and totally Larsonesque humor.

ByRobert J. Canningon October 27, 1998

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

While "There's a Hair in My Dirt!: A Worm's Story" may not have the instant "punch" of a typical single-panel "Far Side" cartoon, there's plenty to recommend it. The drawings are fun and colorful (love the Dame Edna eyeglasses on Mother Worm). Despite a vague sense of repetitousness, the twisted, often-hilarious story should appeal to youngsters, teens and anyone interested in creepy crawlies. With the current success of DreamWorks' "Antz" in movie theaters and the positive advance buzz (pun intended) for Disney's upcoming "A Bug's Life," it surely is a worm's turn. Besides -- dare I say it? -- it's also EDUCATIONAL (in a delightfully subversive, Larsonesque way).

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

ByLKAon August 18, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Funny

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

You need this one!

Bymareon June 16, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

DELIGHTFUL and so clever...that's the ticket!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

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Most recent customer reviews

Five Stars

Great book. great seller.

Published 1 month ago by Hat2back

More than a tale for children

Although Gary Larson is known best for his Far Side cartoons, he's also written other interesting cartoon books, one of the best of which is "There's a Hair in My Dirt.Read more

Published 1 month ago by Doug Erlandson

Five Stars

Funny way to tell a truth about decomposition and animal agency

Published 2 months ago by Caprice Becker

Nice read!

Thanks! Fast delivery.

Published 2 months ago by Amanda Katz

will buy next time.

Thin and sharp. Well excellence. Great product. good . very nice . my brother like it , it is very fast delivery.

Published 4 months ago by Adonis

Profoundly Funny

The perfect fable. Funny and smart. A modern classic.

Published 4 months ago by R. Diaz

Big Mistake!

While this is written in a very amusing way, the humor is definitely more for an adult than a child. Sight unseen, I ordered it to read in a classroom while substitute teaching.Read more

Published 7 months ago by Jacqueline Cohen

Three Stars

Okay story more for adults than children, or at least middle school and up.

Published 11 months ago by Heather Mack

One Star

This book is not appropriate to read to children.

Published 1 year ago by Isaiah

See you later.

Dirt, Worms, Wildlife, Golden Hair Girl...

All that is missing is a magic wand and a high castle.

Published 1 year ago by Vee

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