Mary Amato

Life is miserable for sixth grader Lerner Chanse at her new shool, where the MPOOE (Most Powerful Ones On Earth) Club ruthlessly rules over the SLUGs (Sorry Losers Under Ground). It looks as if Lerner is destined to be a SLUG, until she finds a magical worm that eats printed words instead of dirt. If Fip eats a word, that item simply disappears from the world – forever.

The Word Eater

Will Mabbitt

A hilarious picture book in Day-Glo colors all about worms that is perfect for fans of The Book With No Pictures and The Day the Crayons Quit. This is part counting book, part introduction to worms, but all superbly silly. The fact that the author/illustrator can only draw worms will not take anything away from the laugh-out-loud adventure readers will have as they turn the pages of this slightly subversive picture book.

I Can Only Draw Worms

Doreen Cronin

Harry Bliss

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

Diary of a Worm

Sharmila Collins

Carolina Rabei

disabilities

self-esteem

helping others

Binkle cant wait until he turns from caterpillar to butterfly. Hell finally have strong, beautiful wings to take him high into the sky! But when the day comes, something is terribly wrong. Why are Binkles wings so wispy and weak? How will he ever fly like the other butterflies if his wings are nothing like theirs?

Yet with some help and creativity, maybe theres more than one way to fly . . .

As this charming, gorgeously illustrated story reminds us, life can present us with unwelcome challenges, but inventive alternatives and the support of others can make all the difference.

Binkle's Time to Fly

Edward Hemingway

It takes a firm apple to stand up to bullies.

When Mac, an apple, meets Will, a worm, they become fast friends, teaching each other games and even finishing each other’s sentences. But apples aren’t supposed to like worms, and Mac gets called “rotten” and “bad apple.” At first, Mac doesn’t know what to do–it’s never easy standing up to bullies–but after a lonely day without Will, Mac decides he’d rather be a bad apple with Will than a sad apple without. 

Edward Hemingway’s warm art and simple, crisp text are the perfect pairing, and themes of bullying and friendship are sure to hit readers’ sweet spots all year round.

Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship

Deborah Freedman

From the often Caldecott-buzzed Deborah Freedman, a sweet and funny story about finding your place in the world. 

Carl is an earthworm. He spends his days happily tunneling in the soil until a field mouse asks him a simple question that stops him short: “Why?” Carl’s quest takes him on an adventure to meet all the animals of the forest, each of whom seems to know exactly what they were put on this earth to do, unlike the curious Carl. But it’s not until the world around him has changed that Carl begins to realize everyone, no matter how small, makes a big difference just by being themselves.

Carl and the Meaning of Life

Petr Horacek

Classic tale of friendship and love starring two lonely worms

Jonathan and Martha

Kevin Tseng

When Ned’s apple begins to rot, he must search for a new house.  

A pear isn’t quite right.  

A watermelon isn’t perfect either.  

A pile of blueberries? All wrong!  

Will any other fruit make Ned feel at home again?  

Little ones will love this happy story about finding the perfect place to call home.

Ned's New Home

Ryan T. Higgins

Mo Willems

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Ryan T. Higgins comes What About Worms!? Tiger is BIG. Tiger is BRAVE. And Tiger is NOT afraid of anything . . . except WORMS! Are Tiger’s worm worries worse than worms?

What about Worms!?

Mike Curato

One of Time Out’s “LGBTQ+ books for kids to read during Pride Month,” this irresistible picture book is a celebration of love in all its splendid forms from debut author J. J. Austrian and the acclaimed author-illustrator of Little Elliot, Big City, Mike Curato.You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of a worm…and a worm.When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know–who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux?The answer is: It doesn’t matter. Because worm loves worm.Perfect for fans of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, And Tango Makes Three, and The Sissy Duckling. –Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Worm Loves Worm

Kirkus Best Book / School Library Journal Best Book / Chicago Public Library Best Book  ★ “All day, every day, is a good time for reading about Snail and Worm.”–Kirkus, STARRED review Snail and Worm go on three silly adventures in this early reader chock full of heartfelt humor and irresistible illustrations. By Geisel Honor winner Tina Kügler.  Snail and Worm are back at it and sure to have readers giggling from dawn ‘til dusk (wait–do snails and worms sleep?) in Snail and Worm All Day, complete with heartfelt humor and Tina Kügler’s irresistible illustrations.  Brimming with laugh-out-loud jokes, these three new stories are sweet celebrations of cooperation and discovery.

Snail and Worm All Day: Three Stories about Two Friends

Dav Pilkey

Dan Santat

An out-of-this-world friendship adventure by Captain Underpants creator Dav Pilkey, with full-color art and mini comics by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat.Ricky Ricotta and his Mighty Robot are in for a sticky, slimy surprise! Ricky and his Mighty Robot have built the coolest fort Squeakyville has ever seen, and they can’t wait for the fun to begin! But then Cousin Lucy arrives with her pets and plans to turn it into a princess castle – what a party pooper! Things completely fall apart when Nimrod Nightcrawler, a wicked worm from the planet Neptune, digs a tunnel under Ricky’s fort, trapping the Mighty Robot. Now it’s up to Ricky and Lucy to put a stop to this nightmare – and save their friend!

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the Naughty Nightcrawlers from Neptune (Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot #8), Volume 8

new experiences

making friends

All Owly wants is a friend…Owly is a good-natured little owl, and he’s always helping those around him. But despite his kindness, he seems to frighten would-be friends away before they even give him a chance, just because he’s an owl. That all changes, though, once Owly meets Wormy. Like Owly, Wormy is in need of a good friend, too – someone who can be counted on for a helping hand, a good laugh, and a great adventure! Through a unique blend of words and symbols, Owly can be read by the youngest readers, and is a great introduction to graphic novels!

The Way Home

Ag Jatkowska

What’s that in the grass? Help Inch and Roly solve an outdoor mystery in this sunshiny Level 1 Ready-to-Read story. Roly sees something in the grass, but she does not know what it is. Roly, Inch, Dragonfly, and Beetle try to identify it. Is it a tunnel, or perhaps a hill? Maybe it is a snake! Each of the bugs thinks something different based on their different perspectives. In the end, after much panic, Roly identifies the mysterious object, and all the bugs receive a refreshing surprise! Perfect for enjoying on a sunny day, this Level 1 Ready-to-Read tale is a delightful addition to an adorable series that stars familiar backyard and playground insects and is ideal for beginning readers.

Inch and Roly and the Sunny Day Scare

Meet the friendly insects of the all-new Inch and Roly Ready-to-Read series–books destined to become instant classics. It is a quiet day. Inch and Roly and their friends, Dragonfly and Beetle, are looking for something to do. They can walk to the wishing well and wish for something to do! Join these adorable friends as they find ways to make many more wishes in this sweet Level 1 Ready-to-Read story perfect for beginning readers.

Inch and Roly Make a Wish

Inch and Roly and their friends are hiding, but they will have to be careful–this is a very small hiding place! In this story full of gentle humor, Roly Poly and her friends squeeze into a hole to hide from a bird. But it turns out that being smushed together in the hole is not so much fun! This Level 1 Ready-to-Read tale is a sweet addition to a charming series that stars familiar backyard and playground insects and is ideal for beginning readers.

Inch and Roly and the Very Small Hiding Place

Julia Donaldson

Axel Scheffler

A wacky and fun new adventure from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, starring a truly unforgettable hero!Toad in trouble? Beetle in a jam? Never fear – Superworm is here! And he’s wiggling to the rescue!But when Superworm is captured by a wicked Wizard Lizard, will his friends find a way to help their favorite superhero escape?From the creators of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, a super new adventure with a wriggly, squiggly hero you’ll never forget.

Superworm

Inchworm and a Half

Vivian French

“Vivian French tells a gardening adventure and offers underground facts, including helpful hints on how to become a ‘wormologist.’ “ – USA Today 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.Back matter includes further information about worms and an index.

Yucky Worms

Facing fears can be scary…Owly and Wormy love making new friends, and when they spot an unfamiliar animal flying through the trees, they can’t wait to meet her! Unfortunately, Shadow the flying squirrel doesn’t want to be friends with Owly because she’s afraid of him. Wormy tries to convince Shadow that she can trust Owly, but she’s still scared… When Wormy gets stuck high up in a tree, Owly’s own fear of flying keeps him grounded. Can Owly overcome his fears? And will Shadow be able to do the same?Through a unique blend of words and symbols, Owly can be read by the youngest readers, and is a great introduction to graphic novels!

Flying Lessons

Owly and Wormy just want to help…Best friends Owly and Wormy have days filled with adventure and hearts filled with kindness. And when they discover a bluebird family living in a damaged tree, they want to help out the best way they can: by building the birds a new home! But when Owly and Wormy share their gift, the birds don’t welcome the new birdhouse quite as Owly and Wormy had hoped. With a big storm moving in, can Owly and Wormy help get the birds (and their chicks!) to safety before it’s too late?Through a unique blend of words and symbols, Owly can be read by the youngest readers, and is a great introduction to graphic novels!

Just a Little Blue

Narwhal and Jelly meet The Bad Guys in this heartwarming, brightly illustrated, and downright hilarious chapter book about what happens when a very cranky chicken is befriended by a very cheerful worm. Cranky Chicken is, well, cranky. With one cranky eyebrow, cranky eyes, and even cranky, scratchy feet. But then one day, Cranky meets a very friendly worm named Speedy who wants nothing more than to be friends. Young readers will love seeing the mismatched friendship grow over the course of three charming and laugh-out-loud short adventures as Chicken and Speedy become BFFs (Best Feathered Friends) and Speedy shows Chicken how to look on the bright side.

Cranky Chicken, 1

FIRST EXPLORERS:  With cool things to push, pull, and slide on the cover and each sturdy spread, plus fun facts on every page, this chunky board book gives children their first enticing taste of nonfiction!  Meet bees, butterflies, and wiggly worms! Peek through the leaves for a magical introduction to the wild world of insects. Turn a wheel to watch a caterpillar turn into a butterfly; pull a tab to see a spider spin its web; count zigzagging beetles; and find out which creepy crawlies are hiding underneath the leaves on the forest floor. It’s interactive fun!

Brilliant Bugs

Dan Abdo

Jason Patterson

The third volume of the children’s graphic novel series of friendship stories for emerging readers, featuring three friends (a bunny, a worm, and a frog) who get into conflicts and adventures driven by their very different personalities. Blue, Barry, and Pancakes are best friends! They love funky music, penguins that wear hats, and going on BIG adventures! One day, Barry convinces Blue and Pancakes to enter an epic sundae-making contest. Blue and Pancakes just want to have fun, but Barry is in it to WIN IT. He knows exactly how he’s going to get the trophy, but it’s going to be dangerous. It’ll take sacrifice. He might even lose his pals along the way… Like all friends, Blue, Barry, and Pancakes can make mistakes… but at the end of the day, they always have each other’s backs. And tops, and sides, and fronts, too!

Danger on Mount Choco

Jean Taft

Matt Hunt

Drip,drop,
skip and hop.

Splish, splash,
sidewalk dash!
It’s worm weather! 

Join in the rainy-day fun, as kids splash through the puddles, affecting another weather enthusiast, a nearby worm. An imaginative and playful story, readers will love seeing the worm delight in the weather just as much as the kids.

Worm Weather

Kevin McCloskey

What do worms do all day? How do they see? And why are they so cold and squishy? Find out by going on an underground tour through the hidden world of earthworms. Kevin McCloskey’s book even shows readers what’s happening inside a worm’s body— brain, crop, gizzard, and more. The book takes young readers from “ew!” to “wow!” as they learn about the different ways worms work hard to help the earth. Kids may pick up many of the life science lessons contained here on their first read, but they’ll return to We Dig Worms! again and again to rediscover its story. Deceptively simple, humble yet charming, this little book reaches surprising depths…just like, well, a worm!

We Dig Worms!

Sara Cassidy

Helen Flook

Cyrus and Rudy spend the last days of summer selling dahlias, blackberries and tomatoes at their roadside stand. When a neighbor drops off a bin full of red wigglers, California earthworms that break down compost into fertilizer, Rudy and Cyrus become worm moguls as they discover just how in demand the Eisenia fetida are.

Black Gold is the third book featuring Cyrus and Rudy’s adventures on the farm, following Not for Sale and Blackberry Juice.

Black Gold

Thomas Rockwell

Emily Arnold Mccully

Billy isn’t one to back down from a bet.

But this one is gross: If he eats fifteen worms in fifteen days, Alan will pay him fifty dollars. Billy takes the bet and tries worms smothered in ketchup, drowned in mustard, even breaded and fried.

Worm by worm, Billy gets closer to victory, and to buying the minibike he’s always wanted. But Alan won’t let him win that easily…

Top 10 Worms Books

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