Reviewed by
Heidi Bee RoemerWorms are a familiar creature, yes? But how many people think of them as fascinating or important? After all, the lowly worm has no eyes, nose, teeth, ears, bones, and very little brain. Yet, in clear, simple language, Wiggling Worms at Work reveals how earthworms help aerate, fertilize, and compost the soil so that plants will grow stronger, bigger, and healthier. Worms—and the work they do—are essential for our crops and environment! Equally as fascinating is Pfeffer’s engaging description of the worm’s anatomy, daily activities, diet, reproduction and the role they play in the food chain. Did you know that worms eat decaying plants, fungi, and mold, "slurping mold like you slurp spaghetti?" Yum! Did you know that worm poop, called castings, is piled on top of the worm’s burrow to hide the entrance and to help insulate the borrow? Did you know that worm eggs hatch from a cocoon?
The easy-to-understand text is complimented by Jenkins’ captivating paper collages. Final pages of the book include activities that will entice young environmentalists to discover for themselves why earthworms should be better appreciated by one and all.
Wendy Pfeffer, author of Wiggling Worms at Work, has written over 30 books, several of which have won 'Best Science Book of the Year'. She has been an elementary school teacher, a nursery school director and teacher for adults wanting to write. Her love of nature, words and young children drive her to create science books. She also loves to visit schools and help children discover the joy of writing. Illustrator Steve Jenkins also loves science; as a child he had pet lizards,turtles and spiders. He collected rocks and enjoyed blowing things up in his chemistry lab. After considering a career as a scientist, he changed his mind and went into graphic design. He now owns his own company with his wife and illustrates books picture books. In 2004, he won the Caldecott honor medal for his book What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? This bio was written by Laura Crawford.
There’s nothing Winnie loves more than squirmy worms! When she learns about the upcoming county fair, Winnie racks her brains trying to figure out a way to win the prize money so she can buy a new wagon to transport her pet worms. Alas, there is no entry for the fattest, longest or oldest worm. But the clever girl realizes that her beloved worms can not only help her achieve her goal, but also play an important role in helping three friends achieve theirs. How is Winnie responsible for helping Mr. Abernathy raise the tallest, sweetest corn? Or making Mrs. Yamasaki O’Sheridan’s prize hens lay a record number of eggs? Or causing Mr. Peasley’s puppies to have the shiniest fur coats? Well, as Winnie Finn would tell you, "It all started with worms." Thanks to the ingenuous Winnie and her wonderful hard-working wigglers, it’s a "win-win-win" situation for everyone!
Hoyt’s cartoon-like watercolor illustrations underscore the story’s whimsical humor. Especially enjoyable is Winnie’s faithful sidekick, a quirky orange cat (with hilarious facial expressions) that silently appears in each scene. Instructions for creating a worm farm are included in the Author’s Notes. Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer, an informative and inspiring bit of fiction, is the perfect companion book to Wendy Pfeffer’s nonfiction book, Wiggling Worms at Work.
For more worm facts, composting tips, and suggested names for your pet worm, visit
http://www.carolbrendler.com/Laura Crawford had the opportunity to interview author, Carol Brendler:
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.
OK, let's see. I grew up in Michigan and spent most of my adult life in the Chicago area, but now I live in Canada. I have a grown-up son who lives in Boston. Hmm, what else? I graduated from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2008 with a Master's Degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults, an accomplishment about which I feel both proud and privileged. More importantly, I think kids are the best sort of people and I like to write for them.
WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS FOR NONFICTION COME FROM?
Well, I write mostly fiction, often with factual components, either scientific or historical. Although based on the real facts of worm composting and the life cycle, Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer isn't a true story. What's true is where the kernel of the idea for Winnie's worm farm came from, and that's a memory I have from when I was a kid. My friend and I once filled her little brother's wagon with dirt, leaves, and sticks in order to make an insect and worm habitat. Once we populated it with all of the creepy-crawlies we could find, we spent the rest of the morning wheeling it around the neighborhood for all of the kids to see. I liked the idea that we were two girls who weren't afraid to touch worms and other crawling critters.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE HARDEST PART ABOUT WRITING?
The hardest part for me is usually the story itself. I find the research a pleasure, since I'm the curious sort, and I often spend way too much time just reading about my subject. But because I write fiction, my project needs a character, a problem, several setbacks, and finally a solution. That's the hardest part. And with Winnie's story, every incident had to build upon the one before it, so it took me a while to come up with a satisfying plot.
WHAT IS THE STRANGEST FACT YOU HAVE LEARNED?
I think maybe the strangest fact is about the earthworm's "saddle", that fat part on its body. We've all seen it, but I never knew its purpose before I wrote Winnie's story. The saddle, as it turns out, is used for reproduction. Yes, that's the earthworm's naughty bits.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST WORK.
I've just finished a novel for young adults called Tell Me Another about the Golden Age of Radio and the night of Orson Welles's infamous War of the Worlds radio broadcast. I'm now working on a middle-grade novel that takes place in a traveling circus. Both stories took lots and lots of research--such fun!
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
The best part about being the author of Winnie Finn is all of the people I've met since the book came out who also do vermiculture (worm farming). I've gotten lots of praise and advice from more experienced worm farmers on how to care for my own little wormy world, which sits in a plastic bin on my deck.
