As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
To continue you need an active subscription to hbook.com.
Subscribe now to gain immediate access to everything hbook.com has to offer, as well as our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database, which contains tens of thousands of short, critical reviews of books published in the United States for young people.
Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.
No thanks. Return to article
32 pp.
| Random/Schwartz |
May, 2021 |
TradeISBN 978-0-593-12478-9$17.99
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-593-12479-6$20.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-593-12480-2$10.99
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Ezra Stein.
Eldest worm sibling Emma is excited when her mom, feeling nostalgic, announces she's hired photographer Mr. Muskrat to take a family picture. Emma goes around telling all her animal friends about the upcoming event. At each stop, she learns of that friend's experience being photographed--beaver Ellie flashes a toothy smile (uh-oh, thinks Emma, worms don't have teeth); cat Abigail gets meticulously groomed (...or fur); butterfly Olivia's multi-hued family members arrange themselves "like a rainbow" (...or different colors). Emma is bummed by the prospect of a boring photo, but she thinks she's found a solution via a costume trunk. The Worm family members get all dressed up, but in the end--and after some giggle-inducing illustrations of worms incognito--they ditch the disguises for a look that's truly them. Stein's worms could be cousins to Richard Scarry's, with guileless facial expressions and simple, personality-enriching accessories. The earth(worm)-toned mixed-media illustrations have lots of adorable detail (watch Baby Worm). The text has kid-appeal ("Cool," is Emma's signature understated response), and the situations are relatable for young people longing to stand out from the crowd.