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katykelly's review
4.0
This caught my eye in the library, looking for books to read to my six year old at bedtime. We are at the stage of comfortably reading a chapter or two a night of a longer story, and able to concentrate enough to remember the plot from night to night.
Simone Lia writes and illustrates - it's an eye-catching cover and title, and my son liked the sound of the story.
Marcus is a worm who is a bit of a 'home bird' (pun intended), who likes brown, mud, digging and other worms. So it's both a shock and rather terrifying when he finds himself 'meeting' a bird who may or may not want to eat him, but gets talked out of it by Marcus promising to be his navigator and take him to his spiritual home in Africa.
Yep, this pigeon thinks he's a flamingo and wants to go meet his relations in another continent, but can't read a map or find his own way. Neither can Marcus, but he's not about to volunteer this information!
And so, with an initially odd-man relationship, the two begin their journey, meeting new friends, potential enemies, getting into quirky scrapes and maybe just managing to appreciate each other along the way.
My son is probably a little young for this story, though he listened well and knew what was going on. There was a little more wordplay than he could understand, just above his level from Marcus as narrator. A lot happens quite quickly, it did move fast which would suit an older, independent reader better.
It's funny, the black-white-red colour scheme works and stands out, there are plenty of pictures to keep it accessible and a good lead in to longer, more text-heavy stories for those who haven't been reading too long, but also keeps the chapters fairly short.
The story is fairly predictable to an adult reading, but the ultimate theme of friendship and 'finding home in your own backyard' (with thanks to Oz here) is a good one for children about appreciating your friends and family.
Our favourite scenes were the beatboxing ones (can't say I enjoyed trying to do this for various animals!!) as the pair try to escape some very hungry diners. My son still talks about this part.
Probably best for readers aged 7 or 8 up to 11.
Simone Lia writes and illustrates - it's an eye-catching cover and title, and my son liked the sound of the story.
Marcus is a worm who is a bit of a 'home bird' (pun intended), who likes brown, mud, digging and other worms. So it's both a shock and rather terrifying when he finds himself 'meeting' a bird who may or may not want to eat him, but gets talked out of it by Marcus promising to be his navigator and take him to his spiritual home in Africa.
Yep, this pigeon thinks he's a flamingo and wants to go meet his relations in another continent, but can't read a map or find his own way. Neither can Marcus, but he's not about to volunteer this information!
And so, with an initially odd-man relationship, the two begin their journey, meeting new friends, potential enemies, getting into quirky scrapes and maybe just managing to appreciate each other along the way.
My son is probably a little young for this story, though he listened well and knew what was going on. There was a little more wordplay than he could understand, just above his level from Marcus as narrator. A lot happens quite quickly, it did move fast which would suit an older, independent reader better.
It's funny, the black-white-red colour scheme works and stands out, there are plenty of pictures to keep it accessible and a good lead in to longer, more text-heavy stories for those who haven't been reading too long, but also keeps the chapters fairly short.
The story is fairly predictable to an adult reading, but the ultimate theme of friendship and 'finding home in your own backyard' (with thanks to Oz here) is a good one for children about appreciating your friends and family.
Our favourite scenes were the beatboxing ones (can't say I enjoyed trying to do this for various animals!!) as the pair try to escape some very hungry diners. My son still talks about this part.
Probably best for readers aged 7 or 8 up to 11.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=15422
Oh man! What a voice this book has. Marcus and Laurence are just hilarious and part of what makes them so funny is the very evident voice that both characters have. Marcus is a rule follower and is trying to figure everything out. Laurence is confused and so full of goals and ambition that are just not realistic. And the two of them on an adventure are just ridiculous and really did make me laugh out loud.
Also, at a deeper level, Laurence is also teaching us about identity. He may not look like a flamingo, but he knows he is. That is all that matters.
Oh man! What a voice this book has. Marcus and Laurence are just hilarious and part of what makes them so funny is the very evident voice that both characters have. Marcus is a rule follower and is trying to figure everything out. Laurence is confused and so full of goals and ambition that are just not realistic. And the two of them on an adventure are just ridiculous and really did make me laugh out loud.
Also, at a deeper level, Laurence is also teaching us about identity. He may not look like a flamingo, but he knows he is. That is all that matters.
tommooney's review against another edition
4.0
This is a really fun read. Weird and funny, great characters, adventure, a sweet friendship at its heart.
Perfect to read to younger ones and early readers - my five-year-old loved it and my three-year-old followed it easily enough as well.
Looking forward to the next one in the series!
Perfect to read to younger ones and early readers - my five-year-old loved it and my three-year-old followed it easily enough as well.
Looking forward to the next one in the series!
ljrinaldi's review against another edition
3.0
I like the idea of this book, that a worm and a bird can be friends.
And their adventures are silly enough, mistaking a zoo for Kenya, or thinking that transmission towers are the Eiffel Tower.
But this review copy doesn't have all the pictures, so I have missed many of the jokes, I fear, such as when they are dancing to fool the evil mole.
So, I think kids would enjoy this, the way they enjoy Captain Underpants, and other early readers, but hard to say wihtout being able to see the pictures, as they are a large part of the story.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
And their adventures are silly enough, mistaking a zoo for Kenya, or thinking that transmission towers are the Eiffel Tower.
But this review copy doesn't have all the pictures, so I have missed many of the jokes, I fear, such as when they are dancing to fool the evil mole.
So, I think kids would enjoy this, the way they enjoy Captain Underpants, and other early readers, but hard to say wihtout being able to see the pictures, as they are a large part of the story.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
mckenzierichardson's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC of this book through Library Thing in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun and wacky book.
It is a tale of the beginning of a friendship between two unlikely protagonists: a bird and a worm. The two have a chance meeting, which leads to an unexpected journey and lots of crazy adventures.
I loved it. This is such a fun read. It is very unpredictable and hilarious. While reading it, you have no idea what is going to happen next, which is a very welcome change from a lot of books for young readers.
The copy I received was in black and white, but the pictures were well-done and interesting. I can only imagine how awesome they will look in the finished color edition.
A great book for young readers, especially those who may be hesitant about reading.
This is definitely an adventure that you don't want to miss.
This is a fun and wacky book.
It is a tale of the beginning of a friendship between two unlikely protagonists: a bird and a worm. The two have a chance meeting, which leads to an unexpected journey and lots of crazy adventures.
I loved it. This is such a fun read. It is very unpredictable and hilarious. While reading it, you have no idea what is going to happen next, which is a very welcome change from a lot of books for young readers.
The copy I received was in black and white, but the pictures were well-done and interesting. I can only imagine how awesome they will look in the finished color edition.
A great book for young readers, especially those who may be hesitant about reading.
This is definitely an adventure that you don't want to miss.
sawyerbell's review against another edition
4.0
They Didn't Teach THIS in Worm School! is a delightful adventure story for young readers just beginning to enjoy chapter books.
Marcus, a happy, home-loving worm makes an unexpected friend when Laurence, a chicken-like bird almost eats him. Being a quick-thinker (a talent that will help Marcus out as the story progresses), Marcus prevents Laurence from eating him through inviting Laurence to get to know him, a process through which Laurence confesses that he has a dazzling flamingo just dying to burst out of his chicken-shaped self and that if only he could get to Kenya and join the other flamingos, he would be happy. Before Marcus knows it, he's flying on Laurence's back, off toward Africa, with a pitstop in Paris where slightly surreal and very funny characters and adventures await.
I loved Marcus, with his great problem-solving and friend-making skills and found this a funny, sweet read. Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Marcus, a happy, home-loving worm makes an unexpected friend when Laurence, a chicken-like bird almost eats him. Being a quick-thinker (a talent that will help Marcus out as the story progresses), Marcus prevents Laurence from eating him through inviting Laurence to get to know him, a process through which Laurence confesses that he has a dazzling flamingo just dying to burst out of his chicken-shaped self and that if only he could get to Kenya and join the other flamingos, he would be happy. Before Marcus knows it, he's flying on Laurence's back, off toward Africa, with a pitstop in Paris where slightly surreal and very funny characters and adventures await.
I loved Marcus, with his great problem-solving and friend-making skills and found this a funny, sweet read. Recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
abbyeck's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0