Diary of a Worm

Summary:
This is a daily diary of a little worm, to help children understand some simple facts about what worm life is all about. Diary of a Worm explains how worms like when it rains, dig in the dirt, and how to protect themselves from birds. This is a funny portrayal of what funny things worms would say if they could talk. The main worm character talks about what he also doesn't like about being a worm, such as not being able to have a pet dog and chewing gum. By the end of the diary entries the main character feels sad that sometimes he is ignored because he's small, but his mother reminds him that the world knows they are there, and needs them everyday. 


Author: Doreen Cronin
Doreen Cronin is also the author of the wonderful book Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type and other "Diary" books to give students a "real life" perspective about different animals. Cronin was grew up on Long Island and was guided early on in her childhood to be a writer. Some of her other career paths that she thought she would take were a lawyer, police officer or a FBI agent. Thank goodness she decided to write! Many of her books grace classrooms today. 


Theme/Skill: Science, Autobiography, Fiction
Grade Level: K-3


Pre-Reading Activity:
Discuss with students if they know what the jobs of worms are. This would be a great way to introduce a science unit about nature, plants, etc. Teachers could bring in worms for the class to observe their behaviors as well.


Post-Reading Activity:
Review with the students if this is a fiction or non-fiction book. Can worms really talk? No, but could their daily life experiences be similar to what happened in the book? Yes!


Reflection:
This is a cute book to get kids interested in science. The majority of the time students do enjoy non-fiction books to learn information, but emergent readers need a funny story and vivid pictures to go along with the information. Cronin does a great job of integrating what a worm's importance is to the world while adding a funny spin and life connections. I can imagine that some students may find some similarities with the worm!