HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM

A FIRST GUIDE TO OUTSIDE

BY KARI PERCIVAL ; ILLUSTRATED BY KARI PERCIVAL ‧ RELEASE DATE: FEB. 22, 2022

A great guide to growing young gardeners!

This book lives up to its name with a straightforward question-and-answer format that’s perfect for interested toddlers and preschoolers. Children by a raised garden bed plant lettuce seeds with a “sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle. / Pat, pat, pat.” The first steps of planting peas are different, but all newly planted seeds need a drink. The garden rules of insect etiquette are clear. “How do you say hello to a worm? / Gently, very gently.” And to a ladybug? “Let her crawl onto your finger. / Count her spots. / Say, Hello, Ladybug! before she flies away.” A bee? “Look but don’t poke… / Listen but don’t grab.” As they follow the growth of their garden, the children experience the joy of feeling pea tendrils curling around their fingers, having a tea party inside a play hut made from pea plants and tall sticks, and making mud. Backmatter suggests creating a “dig zone” with a clear border so kids can play and the main garden can stay safe. Finally, the children get to taste the food they’ve grown. In a slight mismatch, the children plant lettuce and peas but carefully and joyfully harvest strawberries, carrots, and peas. Illustrations created with silkscreen and collaged in Photoshop pop against a white background and show children of various ethnicities. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Eye-catching art and simple, clear text plant the seeds for a young gardener. (Picture book. 1-4)

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