Yucky Worms
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, WICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.