Great Worms in Children’s Literature

You can’t get more down-to-earth than the lowly worm; in recent years these invertebrates have wiggled their way into popular picture books at a rapid clip.

Imagine the shock a worm must feel upon discovering that his best friend has been a caterpillar all along when said friend emerges suddenly as a butterfly. In Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel, this is the dramatic scenario that plays out on the pages.  A story about biology as well as friendship, Bob and Otto is a satisfying mix of fiction and science.

A hilarious diary kept by a school-age worm, Doreen Cronin’s Diary of a Worm (2003 winner, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year) documents the day-to-day life of a worm, both good and bad; a worm can't chew gum, but a worm is also free from cavities because they have no teeth. This worm’s eye view is fresh and funny, hard for any child to resist.

In Caroline Arnold’s Wiggle and Waggle, our protagonists are two likeable worms who sing while they do their work, aerating the soil and contributing to a healthy garden. Teamwork and an upbeat attitude make this duo unstoppable, and the plot relies on scientific information to move forward.  A list of facts about worms rounds out this appealing title.

Another story about a worm-caterpillar friendship is Herman and Marguerite : an earth story by Jay O'Callahan. This unlikely relationship blossoms when Marguerite (caterpillar) rescues Herman (worm) from certain sunburn.  Their gifts, while different, are both essential for making the orchard bloom.  Herman gets a chance to repay Marguerite for her heroics when he rescues her from falling rocks.  An appendix of facts about nature completes the text.

In Yucky Worms by Vivian French, a boy and his grandmother encounter a worm in the garden.  Grandmother sings the praises of worms, enlightening her grandson about the many benefits that worms provide for us. A section on How to Be a Wormologist! Is a nice touch.

Farouqua Abuzeit
Children's Department Supervisor