Review by Booklist Review
K-Gr. 3. From the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, this book provides a good introduction to a familiar animal: the earthworm. Pfeffer discusses the worm's habits, anatomy, locomotion, food, and life cycles, as well as explaining the importance of castings and tunneling in maintaining soil richness, moisture, and aeration. The final two pages encourage children to explore earthworms on their own by closely observing a worm and a tunnel entrance and by planting seeds in ordinary soil and in soil enriched with worm castings. Though children may need to read or hear the text more than once to absorb all the information presented, the book offers a solid, interesting introduction to the subject.enkins' distinctive cut-paper collages illustrate the text with clarity and style. A good title for backyard scientists and a fine addition to primary-grade units on the subject. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-This is a great book marred by a few unclear pictures. The well-organized text explains how worms improve the quality of soil and covers the basics about the animal's body structure, movement, diet, and reproduction. The writing is clear and engaging; in one instance, Pfeffer compares the segments on a worm's body to "the coils on a Slinky toy." Although the collage artwork is visually appealing, some of the images are a bit confusing. In one illustration accompanying the explanation of how a worm tunnels, the creature looks as if it has been chopped in two or torn up. In another, it looks as if it is decomposing. The book ends with suggestions for examining a worm in the field and a science-fair-type project using castings. Better choices include Kevin Holmes's Earthworms (Bridgestone, 1998), Michael Elsohn Ross's Wormology (Carolrhoda, 1996), and Bobbie Kalman's Squirmy Wormy Composters (Crabtree, 1992; o.p.).-Jean Lowery, Bishop Woods Elementary School, New Haven, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Primary) These contributions to the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series elegantly convey the basics of dolphin and worm anatomy, behaviors, and life cycles in straightforward, child-appropriate language. Dolphin Talk concentrates on communication. To make a difficult concept clearer for children, Pfeffer introduces each of the dolphin communicative behaviors with a comparable human behavior that children will likely be familiar with, such as moms calling out warnings when children are in danger. It can be challenging to describe sound in writing, but Pfeffer uses analogies admirably, for example: ""These dolphin sounds are made like the sounds you make when you stretch the neck of a balloon between your fingers and then let the air escape slowly."" Worms is filled with similarly clear explanations of worms, their habits, and their habitats. Pfeffer takes an ecological perspective in this book, relating worms' activities to their effects on the environment (in particular, soil quality and plant growth). Both books end with activity extensions. The Wiggling Worms activities in particular are outstanding, encouraging children to observe worms and to conduct simple controlled experiments to investigate soil quality. The worm activities are important for readers because Jenkins's cut-paper illustrations, while lovely and generally accurate, are interpretive, and include only a few anatomical details (and none of internal organs). Davie's sleek illustrations for Dolphin provide important details; especially helpful are diagrams of dolphin insides and pictorial explanations of echolocation. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Here's an eye-opener for anyone unimpressed by the lowly worm. Pfeffer confirms what most preschoolers know: worms rock! In simple, precise prose, she describes how worms tunnel through soil by eating it, and how both the tunnels and the castings that the worms leave behind help plants grow in the soil. She covers worm anatomy and physiology in some detail (and, in the back, invites children to find worms and let them crawl down their arms, to experience their motion and bristles themselves). Jenkins's collages provide interesting texture; the cut-away views of worms underground are especially good. For a creature with "no eyes, no nose, no ears, and hardly any brain at all," the worm commands respect; Pfeffer shows why. Even squeamish kids will love this. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
