Diary of a Worm (I Can Read Books: Level 1)

Cronin, Doreen; Houran, Lori Haskins

ISBN 10: 0606318194 ISBN 13: 9780606318198

Publisher: Turtleback Books, 2013

Synopsis

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Worm likes school...almost as much as he likes weekends. The best part of school for Worm is his teacher, Mrs. Mulch. When Mrs. Mulch misses a day of class, Worm and his friends discover that it's her birthday. Who knew that teachers could take a day off? Who knew teachers had birthdays? Worm does know one thing--he has to figure out the perfect present.

About this title

Review

Doreen Cronin (Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type) and cartoonist Harry Bliss (illustrator of A Fine, Fine School) shed a whole new light on a creature that spends most of its time underground: the earthworm. Written in diary form, this truly hilarious picture book tracks the ins and outs of a worm's life from the perspective of the worm family's young son. Take June 15's entry: "My older sister thinks she's so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. Spider thought that was really funny. Mom did not." Except for the fact that he can't chew gum or have a dog, the boy likes being a worm. He never has to go to the dentist ("No cavities--no teeth, either"), he never gets in trouble for tracking mud through the house, and he never has to take a bath. As long as he can remember Mom's rule "Never bother Daddy when he's eating the newspaper," all is well. Bliss's endearing cartoonish illustrations of anthropomorphized worms are clever visual punchlines for Cronin's delightfully deadpan humor. For example, "June 5: Today we made macaroni necklaces in art class" sounds normal enough until you see the worms wearing one piece of macaroni around their necks, taking up a good part of each worm's body. Children and adults alike will adore this worm's eye perspective on the world. (Ages 6 and older) --Karin Snelson

From the Back Cover

One small worm . one big world!

This is the diary . of a worm. This worm lives with his parents, plays with his friends, and even goes to school. But unlike you or me, he never has to take a bath, he gets to eat his homework, and because he doesn't have legs, he just can't do the hokey pokey – no matter how hard he tries.

This hysterical picture book by New York Times bestselling author Doreen Cronin and New York Times bestselling illustrator Harry Bliss tells the daily doings of a small worm in a gigantic worm world.

Ages 4–8

Edition details

• Publisher: Turtleback Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0606318194
• ISBN 13: 9780606318198
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Bliss Harry, Nez John