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  • Diary of a Worm: Teacher's Pet by Lori Haskins Houran
  • Hope Morrison
Houran, Lori Haskins . Diary of a Worm: Teacher's Pet; illus. by John Nez. Harper/HarperCollins, 2013. 32p. (I Can Read!) Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-208705-8 $16.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-06-208704-1 $3.99 Ad Gr. 2-3.

This easy reader based on Cronin and Bliss' Diary of a Worm (BCCB 10/03) follows the premise of the original, sharing the entries Worm writes in his diary that address the trials and tribulations of being a worm. In this offering, Worm is trying to come up with the perfect gift for his teacher's birthday. Fortunately, his friends Fly and Spider are there to help, and "Fly spotted something with one of her zillion eyes"—a perfectly rotten apple on the ground under a tree. Unfortunately, he forgets an accompanying card, but he manages to chomp out a "Happy Birthday" greeting on the side of the apple. The watercolor illustrations don't have quite the fizz of Harry Bliss' originals, but they offer some gentle humor, particularly in Worm's changing expressions. The grass-level world is carefully realized, with lots of little details adding interest to the scenes. As is often the case when picture books are adapted into easy reader format, there isn't much new here; the dynamics among characters, the humor, and the diary format are more or less repackaged with somewhat simpler text and more visual clues, and since the original title was perfectly suited for reading alone at the same age, this is less a re-aiming than an [End Page 24] extension. Still, Worm was entertaining the first time around and proves entertaining once again in this format. Look for more entries in this series—Spider and Fly are certain to want their own shot at easy-reader fame.

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