Author: Julie Donaldson
Illustrator: Axel Scheffler
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine, 2012.
Ages: 4-8yrs
Themes: stories in rhyme, worms, heroes
Opening: Superworm is super-long. Superworm is super-strong. Watch him wiggle! See him squirm! Hip, hip, hooray for SUPERWORM!
Summary: (from Amazon) 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?
I like this book because: I would have picked this up based on the author-illustrator team alone. Loved every one I have gotten my hands on yet. But a super-hero worm? Come on! How could I not? And this one does not disappoint! Perfect rhythm and rhyme makes you want to get up and sing for this new kind of hero and his gang of insect cohorts. The best is, all his super powers are his own super but natural qualities, stretched just a little for this adventure tale.
Resources/activities: This is all a teacher would need to get a first or second grade class excited about an insect unit; make your own Superworm with pipe cleaners, or from Dad’s knee socks – even grandma’s old stockings and a marker; go on an earthworm discovery tour in a garden – lift rocks, leaf piles or fallen branches; download a coloring page from Scholastic – HERE
For more Perfect Picture Book picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.
julie rowan-zoch 
This looks like tons of fun, Julie! How can you not love a superhero worm? I sure hope Wendy Greenley sees this, given her delightful worm story 🙂
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Yes, yes, yes! Wendy is an online crit-group partner of mine, and as coincidence will have it, a local crit-partner has a worm story too! Maybe that’s why I HAD to read it too!
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Sounds fun! Why didn’t we think of that Julie
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Yeah!
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I just checked this out but haven’t read my stack for the week! You’re right about the author-illustrator team :•) I’m sure I’ll love it!!!
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🙂
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I read it today! It was super!
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So glad you liked it!
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Boy does this book have your name all over it! A super-hero worm! Very clever idea — especially for kids like me who didn’t and still don’t like worms. Making them likable is clever.
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Being rather fond of earthworms, I enjoy stories in which they’re the heroes. 🙂 Julie Donaldson being the master of rhyme makes me want to read this even more.
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They are the gardener’s besties!
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Another fun pick for us to add to our library list! Thanks Julie!
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The Super Rhythm team of Donaldson/Scheffler does it again!! I haven’t seen this one, but I’ll be on the lookout now! Thanks!
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This looks absolutely hilarious and perfect for spring. I am crossing fingers our library has it.
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Do look for any of their other collaborations!
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This is such a winning duo, isn’t it.
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Would love to meet them! Liv got to see Scheffler at the Wilhelm Busch Museum in Hannover – I probably would have scared him with fan-geekiness!
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I’m here! And I hadn’t read Superworm – so now you know it has to go on my list. I think worms are super anyway.
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🙂
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Clever, cute book. I don’t mind worms as long as they stay in the garden and don’t eat too many greens… lol.
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They aerate the soil – we need that here!
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I’d read this book just because of the title! I think Superworm needs a cape. 😉
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Your right!
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Looks like so much fun! I have a bin of small red wigglers that never get into that kind of trouble….
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I bet they are quite content too!
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