Another good book: Yucky Worms

Yucky Worms

by Vivian French; illustrated by Jessica Ahlberg

32 pages; for ages 5-8

Candlewick Press, 2009

 

I love books about gardens, so I had to get my hands on a copy of Yucky Worms. Not that worms are yucky – they’re great garden helpers and, during this season, they’ve got extra work in the compost pile.

In this book worms are gardening friends. They eat rotting leaves, dead insects, bits of old flowers. In the process they help aerate the soil and leave behind marvelous castings (aka “worm poop”). But being a worm can be dangerous: there are all sorts of predators that love worms for breakfast.

What I love about this book – aside from it being about worms – is the nifty sidebars that get kids “up close and personal” with worms. Juicy bits of info like how worms move and that they have five hearts and use stones and dirt to grind up food in their stomachs. At the back there’s even a section on “How to be a Wormologist” with hands-on activities.  

Right now is a good time to check on worms… I know they’re active in my garden because every now and then I find a worm hole all plugged up with bits of leaves. If you have a compost bin you’ll find them there, too, helping to turn kitchen scraps into food for the garden.

Check out other STEM Friday resources here. On Monday head over to the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up.  Review copy of this book provided by the publisher.