Marty McGuire Digs Worms!

Marty McGuire #2

by Kate Messner, Kate Messner

A funny, accessible chapter-book series about an irrepressible third grader.

Marty McGuire's third-grade class has a special assignment: Save the Earth! Even more exciting, the best project wins a special award. Marty's pretty sure her classmates' ideas won't stand a chance against her plan to turn the garbage from the school cafeteria into fertilizer. All she needs is a little help from her teammate and best friend, Annie--and the worms in her grandma's garden.

But it turns out that worms are awfully SLOW eaters. And when the critters escape, the whole class starts grumbling. Can Marty save the Earth without losing her friends?

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, Humor, Childrens, Science, Environment

176 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2012

About the author

Kate Messner is an award-winning author, TED 2012 speaker, and former middle school English teacher. Her books for kids include THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.,SUGAR AND ICE, and EYE OF THE STORM (Walker/Bloomsbury Dec. 2010) the MARTY MCGUIRE series (Scholastic), SEA MONSTER'S FIRST DAY, and OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW (Chronicle, Books). Kate also wrote SPITFIRE and CHAMPLAIN AND THE SILENT ONE, both Lake Champlain historical novels published by North Country Books.

Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com

Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner

...or follow her on Twitter - @katemessner

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice books, don't need to read the first to enjoy this. I loved that the first was about Marty being her own self, not a girlie girl or a tomboy but just a cool kid. This didn't have that. Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall are still her heros and she likes to pretend, with Annie, to be them... but this is focused on saving the planet.

And composting cafeteria waste is a terrific school project... if you have an affiliation with an elementary school, *please* read this to learn the basics (and potential pitfalls) of how to do this, then implement it. School gardens are also a popular project and I know you can find materials on them, as a good way to get kids interested in veggies.

[Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a super big Marty fan. When the ARC of Marty McGuire Digs Worms arrived today, I had to immediately read it. Kate Messner perfectly captures the voice of a 3rd grader. Marty is likeable without being annoying. Annie, and Veronica Grace and the others from the first book are back. And there are so many lines that I loved - I want to pull out all the great quotes.

In this book Marty and her classmates have 5 weeks to create "How to Save the Earth" Projects. Marty's project (with some help from Annie) is to start a worm composting project. Of course there has to be some mishaps or this wouldn't be Marty.

2nd and 3rd graders are going to love this follow up to the original Marty McGuire book.

Yay Kate for such a fun read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's cross our fingers that there will be a book three. :)

[Kellee Moye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at:
http://www.teachmentortexts.com/2012/...

Marty McGuire is one of my favorite protagonists ever. I don't know if it is because she reminds me a bit of myself or because I wish I knew her, but either way, she is wonderful. Kate captures a 3rd graders voice with such brilliance- making her authentic and likeable.

On top of the amazing character and story, Marty McGuire is a great resource for the classroom. First, the whole story in this 2nd installment fits perfectly with any Earth Day activity or unit that a teacher is planning. Second, the vocabulary throughout the book is never dumbed down and will definitely enriched a reader's vocabulary. Third, the whole book is about science experiments, inquiry, observing, and journaling!!

Another great Marty read and I cannot wait for a 3rd! *fingers crossed*

Snatch of Text:
"Mondays are the best because we have library, and if you tell Ms. Stephanie about the last book you read, she gives you a Starburst from her secret stash under the librarian desk." (p. 1)

"I love being classroom helper because you don't have to sit still so much." (p. 2)

"Annie and I know all about chimpanzees and mountain gorillas because of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, these awesome scientists who went to Africa to try to save them. Sometimes, we pretend to be Jane and Dian in the woods behind Annie's house. We pretend the crayfish are chimpanzees and mountain gorillas, even though they're not as cute." (p. 12)

Some Vocabulary:
Indigenous, Habitat, Threatened, Recycle, Environment, Patrolling, Compost, Fertilizer, Worm Casting, Observations, Patience, Inhospitable

[Franki Sibberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So love this character and these books. I hope there are lots more about Marty coming soon!

[Paul Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading Marty McGuire in my Disney hotel room in November of 2010 (and hardly being able to stand not coming right out to say how much I loved that book because it was a May release). Upon returning home from the Michigan Reading Association conference yesterday, I found an envelope from Scholastic. Scholastic hardly ever sends Mr. Hankins materials or titles, so I knew. . .I just knew. . .this had to be from someone I knew that had a Scholastic title forthcoming. And I was right.

And I can say really nice things about this book--right now--because it releases in April (in fact, I just saw the title in Maddie's spring Scholastic Book Order form. Guess who is putting an extra little check mark on that order form friends).

Just like the first book, we have this charming third-grader, Marty. So endearing. This is the kind of character and the kind of chapter book you want your younger readers carrying home from school for their independent reading. Inquisitive and always ready for an adventure, Marty is the kind of youthful heroine we can all celebrate without any reservation (well, except for the improper use of a food processor and the unintentional mutilation of vintage paper dolls, but you'll have to read the book to get to these. . .).

In MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS we find Marty at school where an assembly hosted by The Frog Lady and an invitation to come up with an idea that will make the earth a better place sets Marty and her classmates (Veronica Grace and others from the first book are back) up for a new experience that will challenge the way they think about their world and their contributions to make it a better place.

When Marty's grandmother shows Marty her worm bin, this becomes Marty's project for the contest. But it's not all dirt and fun. Marty learns through trial and error to care for her worms and how to take charge of her own project (some misunderstandings with classmates prompt important discussions about honoring each others' projects and the subtleties that come along with each).

Here's what I like about MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS:

*We have a main character who draws upon her learning--even during play with friends.

*We see an invitation to learn through new experiences.

*We see real-world learning in the classroom.

*We see an innovative lead learner who's not afraid of a little "messy productivity."

*We see mentors/roll models from various stations within the school (custodian, lunch ladies).

*We see scientific inquiry and problem solving.

*We see a celebration of individual contributions through the various projects and approaches.

and

We see Marty writing in her journal, reflecting upon the different stages of her project. Many will recognize Kate Messner's professional text, REAL REVISION, and right here--in MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS--we see a main character making journal entries, questioning their length and depth (and sometimes focus). We see some growth, not only within the worm bin, but in the writing that Marty does to capture the experience on paper.

Of course, Brian Floca's illustrations throughout really bring the whole book together. What was a really, really nice book in Marty McGuire is now a really nice start to a set with MARTY MCGUIRE DIGS WORMS (and who can resist the wordplay in the title here?).

A nice book to share with colleagues and with my own daughter, Maddie. Kate Messner has the potential to create a new classic here with natural ladders to SEEDFOLKS with this new title.

One cannot help to celebrate and to share when a new book releases that models youth, innovative learning communities, citizenship, and environmental responsibility. So, I am celebrating another Kate Messner title. You just want really good things to happen for authors like Kate. Because she gives from her heart a character like Marty.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures are warm and funny. The story was very compelling for my kiddo. The characters....well, they're fine. Of course the main character isn't like other girls, so we've got to have a character who IS like other girls. And she's ridiculous for not liking dirt and she's vain and silly because she likes dressing up (just like the principal and her oft-scorned high heels) and looking pretty. Nature girls and women are great. And somehow, even though they outnumber the pretty girls in this book, they're unique and so cool and different!

This book would have been right up my alley when I was a kid and saw how much society loves to dismiss and ridicule femininity and worked hard not to be caught up in that net. As an adult, I really don't care for the way this book doesn't offer anything like growth, justification, or affirmation for the two "girly" characters. Marty might scorn them, but does Messner have to?

[katsok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aw, man, I adore Marty! I read the first book last spring and knew Kate was on to something. What a fun book that is accessible for some of my lower readers - and yet one they would still want to read! I was delighted when I heard there was a second volume being created. (And I hope this is the second of many Mary installments.) In this book Marty and her classmates are competing to see who can create the best Earth Day project. I love the lessons embedded in this book - conservation, patience, and a little lesson on Jane Goodall as well. I cannot wait to take this book to my students tomorrow and see who wants to start the reading chain.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Marty adventure takes place in this book and kids in 2nd-4th grades will love it. Marty's class is charged with designing earth-saving projects, she and her friend Annie settle on a worm bin for the cafeteria with her Grandma's help. Of course, Marty gets a little excited about the project and things don't quite go as planned. Will Marty be able to get out of another pickle? Read this great book to find out. Because of the project theme, it'd be great to have as part of Earth Day celebration in the classroom or at home.

[Colby Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Marty McGuire. I know a book is gread, when I start thinking about sharing it with my own personal children. I cannot wait to share Marty with my 1 and 3 year old daughters.

Characters like Marty McGuire are why fiction matters.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marty McGuire's third-grade class has a special assignment: Save the Earth! Even more exciting, the best project wins a special award. Marty's pretty sure her classmates' ideas won't stand a chance against her plan to turn the garbage from the school cafeteria into fertilizer. All she needs is a little help from her teammate and best friend, Annie--and the worms in her grandma's garden.

But it turns out that worms are awfully SLOW eaters. And when the critters escape, the whole class starts grumbling. Can Marty save the Earth without losing her friends?

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

161 pages; Good basic school story kids could relate to. Students must create an Earth-friendly/saving project. Marty decides to make a worm storage bin and recycle lunch food to create worm castings (AKA fertilizer). Interesting and realistic school problems and situations throughout the book. This one is not too long - could be read in one night. Recommended for Grades 3-5.

[The Book Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty cute book, I really enjoyed the earth saving aspects of this book. I am really glad I picked this book to listen to while studying.


Review to come.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marty works with Annie and Grandma Barb to create a composting project in the school cafeteria.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was politically correct with its save the earth theme, but still so fun to read!

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my sister... pretty good. Entertaining enough.

[Sherry Scheline · Rating 4 out of 5]

GREAT middle reader. Wonderful little chapter book. I loved the names used. The names seem to totally fit the characters.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and engaging story which taught us things too

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in the Marty Mcguire series. A story about a third grade girl learning about recycling.

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute and funny! My daughter and I were laughing the entire time we were reading it together!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as with its predecessor Marty McGuire , I enjoyed this book but I didn't love it. A good story for young environmentalists.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet 5th grader Kayla. She didn't like to read, until she met Marty Mcguire

Here's the routine:

"Have you got the new Marty book?" Kayla asks. The staff is greeted every morning before school with this question.

"No Kayla, it is on a boat in the ocean," One of us replies. She hollers from the circulation desk into my office, "You'll give it to me when it comes, right?"

"Yes, your name is first on the list," I reassure her and she giggles and prances to class.

Last week my reply changed to: "It's getting closer Kayla. The book is in Taiwan customs."

Four weeks later she comes to the library and starts, "Have you got... Oh!" I put the book in her hands before she can finish her sentence and she does a happy dance at my feet with a grin the size of a watermelon slice. Where's that video camera when you need it?

Marty Mcguire may be in third grade but she appeals to all ages with her spunk and energy. She loves science and struggles with sharing her best friend, Annie, who gets along with Veronica, a frilly girl who is quite the opposite of tomboy Marty. This book has Marty and Annie planning a science project together that involves worms. Things don't go quite as planned when Annie decides to help Veronica, as well as work with Marty; plus, the worms seem kind of boring because they won't eat all the leftovers from the kids. Marty has to learn to deal with her discouragement over the project to save the earth and realize that it is small steps that make a difference in making change.

Another terrific story with great pacing, word choices, and characters. The focus is more on science in this book than relationships. Lovers of nonfiction books will like the facts sprinkled throughout with an engaging story. The beginning information on poison dart frogs is a funny reference to the frog fiasco in the first Marty book and her love of frogs while giving facts about why they are called, poison dart frogs, and what is happening to their habitat. Worms are surprisingly interesting and kids will love the "worm poop" facts and the clever advertising the girls use to get Veronica to use it on her plants.

The adults at Marty's home and her school create a community of support for her from Grandma Barb to the janitor to the teacher. They give guidance and wisdom as Marty learns from her mistakes and grows in understanding. The wonderful imaginations that children have is captured by Messner and I was transported several times back to my own childhood and the escapades my best friend and me had while growing up in Minnesota.

There's plenty of fodder for adults to laugh at in this story. When we have a character education assembly in the auditorium I secretly sit by the little 4 to 6 year-olds because it is so funny when one gets crocodile-snapped in the chair. Messner catches the hilarity of this as Marty mentions it throughout the book. When Marty puts paper in the food processor it reminded me of when my friend and I chiseled a hole in their oak door because we wanted a peephole (we were acting out a book and were on a ship), and the kind janitor who helps Marty reminded me of the time my best friend and I climbed the church's steeple tower only to be caught on the way out by the janitor who was very kind to us (we were acting out Nancy Drew that time).

Dear Ms. Messner,

You are very prolific. Please crank out another Marty book so we can all do our happy dances!

Thank you!

Reading Level 3.8

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marty McGuire’s class has an assignment. Each team of students must come up with a plan to save the planet. With the help of her quirky and hip Grandma Barb, Marty puts together a great project where worms will turn leftover cafeteria food into fertilizer. Marty doesn’t realize how long this process will take, though, and she makes a bunch of promises to her classmates that she quickly realizes she cannot keep. When the class starts getting angry at Marty for the way things are going, she tries to speed things along, resulting in a worm escape! Marty must find a way to save the Earth and save her friendships with her classmates.

I thought Marty McGuire was a pretty solid chapter book despite its heavy-handed treatment of gender issues, but this sequel definitely impressed me more. Marty isn't like most other chapter book heroines, and this story does a wonderful job of highlighting that fact without actively reminding the reader of it all the time. Marty is science-minded and loves to get her hands dirty, which is great, and I think kids are certainly drawn to her impatience and her desire to do the right thing, even if she doesn’t always manage to do it. Kids will also love the interesting way that Marty and her friends recycle their cafeteria garbage, and the idea is simple enough that they might just be able to implement it in their own communities.

Veronica Grace continues to be a bit of a walking “mean girl” stereotype, which is too bad, since that stereotype seems inescapable in children’s books these days, but the other characters are pretty fairly balanced portraits of average kids. Aside from the characterization, there are also a lot of great details describing objects and situations in Marty’s day to day life. I loved the line about kids being “crocodile-snapped” in auditorium chairs, and I thought it was great when Marty speculates that her teacher might be looking forward to lunch just so she can feed her lettuce to the worms.

This series is a great alternative for girls who don’t relate to themes like fashion and boys, and who are interested in recycling, going green, and improving our planet. Marty McGuire Digs Worms is a great second installment to a well-written and entertaining series.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the first book about Marty and loved it, so now I was ready for the next one, but didn't expect it to be just wonderful. I read someone's review of this book some weeks ago, and remembered how much they loved it. It's true, I think I liked the voice and the adventure in this one even more than the first. There is such a strong voice in this young girl's character that a smile begins from the first pages. An assembly is held in the auditorium that has theater seats, where small kindergarten children (as Marty observes) get "crocodile-snapped" in the seats. Remember that as a child? Those seats were a little scary, and here is Marty observing, using metaphor to describe what happens when the seat folds up because one is too small to hold it down. I liked the language throughout the book and the illustrations by Floco are wonderful, just simple drawings that expand on the story being told. The sketch of the 'crowd of squirrels listening' is priceless to see, and to hear about. One other part of the book I enjoyed, of course, is that there is a very nice and helpful grandmother in this story. Since I love being a grandmother, this is a book I will keep until the 3 year old granddaughter is old enough. Marty's grandmother is helpful, wise and turns up in all the right moments. It's a great book!

[Sylvie Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had difficulty choosing between 2 stars and 3 stars for this book. I decided to give it 3 stars, because there are things that I liked about it, but I was hesitant because there were some things I really disliked about it. What upset me the most is Marty's attitude about her two grandmothers and the way she refers to them. Grandma Barb is "the cool one" and plays an important role in this story. Marty describes Grandma Joyce as "the boring one" and is so disdainful of the birthday gifts she gets from her that she not only refuses to play with them but actually derives pleasure from ripping up her princess paper dolls to use as recycled paper and, later, worm bedding. I kept hoping that this story would include some kind of new understanding between Grandma Joyce and Marty, but Grandma Joyce is really not part of the story at all, except in being negatively compared to Grandma Barb and being the giver of the rejected paper dolls. Marty comments that she's not allowed to say that Grandma Joyce is boring because "it might hurt her feelings," but her friend Annie says it repeatedly in public, and Marty seems more concerned about the feelings of her worms and some inanimate objects than she is about her paternal grandmother's feelings. Disturbing and upsetting to me.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent second outing in one of my new favorite chapter book series about a girl with bright ideas who isn't afraid to get her hands dirt, who humorously navigates the boundary between her exuberant desire to save the earth and the expectations of peers & grown-ups. In this book I especially loved Marty's cool grandma (as cool grandma's are a great asset to any child). I also liked the non-didactic environmental message...which encourages asking for advice, but doing the work yourself and thinking things through carefully before, during, and after any environmentally-friendly project. Can't wait to read about Marty's next adventure.

[Carol Royce Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Messner has a hit with third grader Marty McGuire because she's such a down-to-earth, not-afraid-to-get-dirty kind of girl (aka - a tomboy), that she's loved by girls and boys alike. In fact, I have a group of boys reading the first Marty McGuire book, and they are loving it.
In this installment Marty and her classmates are being challenged to do something to help save the world. When her and Annie's first plan to try to make paper fails, they work with Marty's "cool grandma" to create a worm farm using scraps from school lunches to feed the worms. It's a project Marty is sure will be a hit, but one that, in the end, teaches her a lot about patience.

[Elissa Schaeffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope Kate Messner continues to write about Marty McGuire. She is such a wonderful character! She tries, she gets things wrong, she doesn't always do the right thing but her heart is in the right place. I also appreciated that this book didn't beat us over the head with the environmental theme. It was a strong theme, and a theme repeated throughout, but Kate pulled it off because she used Marty's voice so it never felt preachy. Instead it felt like a young girl inspired. Another winner from Kate Messner!

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marty and her fellow classmates hear Ms. Frog give a presentation at a school assembly about how the poison dart frog's habitat is being destroyed in the Amazon rainforest. Ms. Frog challenges the students to come up with their own ways they can help save the Earth and make it a better place for all . With her favorite Grandma's help, Marty and her best friend start a project to help eliminate garbage at their school involving worms, shredded paper and garbage! Great read for chapter book readers, great mini illustrations within the text of the chapters.

[Jeremy Ruble · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good intermediate step up from the Junie B. Jones books. It has the advantage of having proper grammar - which as a teacher I consider a plus! The story is simple; explores a little science; displays writing skills in Marty's journal entries. It contains a lot of things a teacher could launch lessons from. It feels "third grade", but I'd definitely suggest it to girls at the beginning of fourth grade! Solid, easy to read chapter book with plenty of pictures to support comprehension!