Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because it’s a nice story about how you can’t stop love.
Worm Loves Worm
Written by J.J. Austrian
Illustrated by Mike Curato
32 pages – ages 5+
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 5, 2016
Theme- Marriage/gender
Genre- Fiction
Opening and Synopsis- Opening Lines:
“Worm loves Worm.
“Let’s be married,”
says Worm to Worm.
“Yes!” answers Worm.
“Let’s be married.“”
Synopsis from Amazon: “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.”
What I Thought- The story shows that not all marriages follow traditional norms and love doesn’t need to be complicated. Worms are hermaphroditic so they make the perfect main characters for this book. This is a sweet story about how when you love someone so much, it doesn’t matter what it takes to be with that person for life. In the book, the worms end up splitting the outfits between the two (one has a veil and a tuxedo, the other a top hat and a dress), because they want to get married. I loved the cartoony illustrations and the sweet tone of the book – marriages are happy, so the writing style is happy, and the pictures are bright. I believe that this truly is a perfect picture book.
Activities and Resources- The Herding Kats in Kindergarten blog has a cute worm craft HERE
Frugal Fun For Boys has a cool worm composting jar activity HERE
The Fun In K/1 blog has a free earthworm graphic organizer and writing activity HERE
To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog HERE!
Categories: Age 1-5, Perfect Picture Book Friday
But do they invite Robins to the wedding? Inquiring minds want to know….
No, but they do have a spider! (honestly, they just wanted to get married, and the insects (and arachnid!) keep showing up with how it “must” be done.) It’s a nice story.
Awe. It sounds like a very sweet book.
It’s a nice story about love. 🙂
What a wonderful way to introduce kids to the idea that it’s love that matters, not who you love. Thanks Erik!
It’s a great book.
What a great way to share the message — kids are always fascinated by worms!
I didn’t think of that – good point! I, personally, just saw the joke – worms are asexual. 🙂
What a great book! I just love that cover!
It’s an awesome picture book! 🙂
Love this book. And so happy to see schools are reading, not banning it! WOOT!
I hope that they wouldn’t ban it! 😀