Earl & Worm #2: The Big Mess and Other Stories

Earl & Worm

by Greg Pizzoli

Beloved Geisel Award-winning author Greg Pizzoli is back with book two in the fan favorite early reader series of two unlikely friends, Earl and Worm, that is sure to make kids belly laugh!

Earl and Worm couldn't be more different--but they also are also the best of friends. So when Earl's mess gets out of hand, Worm is sure she can help. And when a lucky penny turns rotten, rain-soaked Earl helps Worm see the sunny side. Through it all, the pair's funny hijinks turn tender . . . and the big mess ends up where they least expect it!

Come along for three giggle-inducing stories that will have kids hooting along soon after they've outgrown Elephant and Piggy.

Geisel Award-winning creator Greg Pizzoli delivers three giggle-inducing stories that will have kids hooting along soon after they've outgrown Elephant and Piggie.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Animals, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Juvenile

72 pages, Hardcover

Published July 8, 2025

About the author

Greg Pizzoli is the author and illustrator of The Watermelon Seed, winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award, Number One Sam, Templeton Gets His Wish, Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower, and coming in April 2016, Good Night Owl. He lives in Philadelphia.

Reviews

[Jessica Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is like Frog and Toad but with a bird and a worm. Loved it! I am definitely Earl.

[Jessica Calaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

SO CUTE!!!!!!!!

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three stories about two unlikely friends make for one awesome book!  Worm is neat and organized, while her bird friend Earl is a bit of a hoarder.  In the first story, Worm happily finishes her spring cleaning and is dismayed to open her front door to see Earl’s stuff all over his front yard and spilling on to hers. She offers to help Earl go through his things, and ends up taking a lot of his stuff home - “We never throw out books!” - to repair or reuse, and is happy to have a new mess to clean up at home.  In “The Lucky Penny,” Earl decides to go out for a picnic on a beautiful sunny day.  He finds a lucky penny, but as soon as he picks it up, the sky suddenly clouds up, he trips, spills his milk, and drops his sandwich, and then gets soaked by the rain.  Worm takes him to her cozy house and makes him a new sandwich, and Earl realizes he is lucky to have such a good friend, even if the penny’s value is questionable.  “The Sunrise” finds the duo preparing to stay awake all night to watch the sunrise.  They work so hard to set up the perfect hillside spot, with blankets and pillows and glasses of water, that by the time they get comfortable, they may be too tired to make it till morning!

Readers should expect the unexpected in this fun early reader from fan favorite Greg Pizzoli. None of these stories end quite the way kids might predict, but the bonds of the unconventional friendship prevail each time, as Earl and Worm gamely see the positive side of every potentially negative outcome.  Words and pictures work really well together, as the simple sentences sometimes belie the complex truth of the narrative; readers will need to study the illustrations to get the full story.  A large font with lots of blank space enhances readability, and the digital illustrations are in classic Pizzoli style of black lines, limited color palette, hilarious facial expressions (especially on Worm) and fun background details.  This is book two in a new series that is sure to be a winner! Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Debrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasantly engaging reader with age-appropriate humor.

But:

Aiiee! It's like being hit in the face with a fish when I encounter a grammatical error in an otherwise high-quality reader. (p. 68: "They laid down on their pillows.") This is a reader! It's for kids *developing their reading skills*! It should NOT MISUSE LANGUAGE! It makes me sad that there is such confusion about lie, lay, and laid that this book made it all the way through the editorial process without a correction. I am willing to grow and change with the language, and I recognize that the popular usage of "lay" instead of "lie" has become common, but until Merriam-Webster concedes, I don't either. What I really regret is the loss of linguistic precision in the service of clearer communication: it's a functional nuance that "to lie" (as in lying down) is an intransitive verb (I do a thing) and "to lay" (as in, to lay something down) is transitive (I do a thing *to a thing*). Blending the two loses that nuance and leaves the language a trifle poorer. I can and do let it go in conversation, but developing readers are soaking up the structure of our language in ways that will shape and serve them in the future. It's a shame to blur their tools.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the second outing of these two unlikely friends, Earl and Worm face some of life's challenges in three short stories. The digital artwork is child-friendly, and the accessible text is perfect for youngsters who are starting to read independently. In the first story, "The Big Mess," Worm, who is a neatnik, helps Earl, who is not, sort through his discards and finds some treasures of her own. "The Lucky Penny," the second story, demonstrates that the lucky penny Earl discovers might not be so lucky after all. And finally, the third story, "The Sunrise," highlights the two friends' willingness to help each other, even if it means staying up all night in order to see the sun come up. All three stories are relatable and sure to produce more than one giggle. I'm glad to see these two characters' adventures continue in such a gentle, meaningful way.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: It was spring. Worm was cleaning her house. Worm loved to clean. She loved things neat. She loved things tidy.

Premise/plot: Earl and Worm are best friends. This is their second adventure. There are three stories in this book, "The Big Mess," "The Lucky Penny," and "The Sunrise."

In "The Big Mess" Earl helps Worm clean house. Worm's newly cleaned house soon acquires some of Earl's mess. "The Lucky Penny" has Earl finding a penny. But will the penny be a lucky or unlucky penny?! "The Sunrise" has Earl and Worm staying up all night so they can watch the sunrise together.

My thoughts: My favorite story is "The Big Mess." It was a GREAT story. I loved it so much. The other stories were good too.

[Kaitlyn Bieszk · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are three stories in this book. The first story is all about Worm cleaning her house while Earl has a big mess. Worm suggests that she help Earl clean, but she ends up taking all of earls old/broken things and then her house becomes a mess! The second story is about finding a lucky penny, however, Early comes across a lot of misfortune. The third story was about staying awake all night to see the sunrise. I really liked the first story, but the second/third stories were missing a learning theme to them that I usually like with Earl & Worm.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's publishing for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publisher through NetGalley.
Earl and Worm are back for more adventures. This lower elementary chapter book includes three stories for readers to enjoy. Each offers a look at their friendship and how they support each other. The illustrations enhance the story by providing context clues for younger readers. Pizzoli's light touch offers humor and lessons underneath. Readers will enjoy this as either a read alone or family/class read. Looking forward to more adventures with these characters.

[Jj · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's okay--cute but unengaging short stories which suit this audience, and serviceable enough. I do like the characters and this author/illustrator overall.

The grammar needs some work here, however. One of the stories features the phrase "I better" repeatedly (because, well, this is a reader/early chapter book!): "I better find a place..."; "I better eat my lunch", and so on. This is just sloppy English--not a good speaking or writing habit to impart to children in what is at its core a book to learn reading and, by association, writing and speaking. Why not use "I should" instead?

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

This reminds me so much of Elephant and Piggie. The strong friendship, the relatable problems, the slightly surprising ending. Maybe not quite as silly but still enjoyable. I'm interested in reading the rest of the Earl & Worm books! But I'll keep my lucky penny out of it ;)

I just looked back and apparently I had already read the first one and didn't like it very much. Oops. I complained about Worm being a major grump. I didn't find that to be the case in this sequel. hmm.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worm loves to clean so she helps Earl with his big mess - but many things he doesn't want, she does, and soon her house is messy again. Earl finds a lucky penny which seems to bring him anything but, and Worm wants Earl to stay up all night with her so she can finally see a sunrise.

Oh, such cute stories and adorable illustrations. The friends are so nice to each other, even with things are not going their way (see The Lucky Penny). A good amount of text, it will be a fun book that young readers will enjoy and re-read.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best friend duo Earl and Worm return for another collection of short, early reader friendly adventures in Greg Pizzoli’s THE BIG MESS AND OTHER STORIES. Accompanied by supportive illustrations, the stories use everyday moments to celebrate how the warm friendship between the two somewhat mismatched characters still triumphs and thrives. Perfect for fans of Elephant and Piggie, Earl and Worm will delight many readers looking for simple stories with humor and heart.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pizzoli brings his usual gentle humor and friendly characters to this small story about two good friends. As usual, the jokes are not particularly hard to see coming, but it's the characters reactions to them that surprise and entertain the reader. A fun read, this should be good for sharing with kids.

[Elizabeth E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming chapter book perfect for fans of Frog and Toad. With two lovable characters and adorable illustrations, this is a great book for beginning readers who are ready for longer texts.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jaymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

4 stars = Great! Might re-read.

Three stories told in short, simple sentences with darling artwork. This is super cute!

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the beginning chapter book series. The stories are fine. The illustrations are fine. Kids are going to like it. I don’t think it has a lot of staying power because it’s a tad boring. But it’s great practice for kids learning to read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Early reader/early chapter book. This is a great one for beginning readers and or early chapter book readers. I love Pizzoli's books. The stories are unique, which is hard to do given there are sooo many early readers out there. His stories are always funny and interesting.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three short stories are in this book that involves humorous and heart warming adventures between 2 good friends , Earl the Owl and Worm. Colored illustrations and minimum text make this a good read for beginning readers, while allowing them to feel an accomplishment of reading a chapter book.

[Hailey Corman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great reading recommendation for high flyers or students trying to get into longer book readings! This book has multiple stories in it, and each one faces the same characters. Themes of: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, lucky pennies, and friendship.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book certainly deserved its Geisel Honor status. Three humorous stories depict the friendship between Earl, a bird (an owl maybe?) and Worm. The cartoon-style illustrations emphasize the humor of the stories.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that straddles the line between early reader/early chapter book/picture book. Very cute.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earl and Worm really are the next Frog and Toad. Love their personality and friendship.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another charming installment in this Frog and Toad readalike, this time covering hoarding, the questionability of a lucky penny, and the joy of watching a sunrise.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story collection

[Lauren Hightower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another new series that has Frog and Toad vibes with bright and bold illustrations. Very cute. E wasn’t sure but then didn’t want me to stop reading.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute, kind of reminiscent of Frog and Toad for me-- and that is a high compliment!

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three more amusing tales about Earl and Worm. Each plays around with subverting expected endings and keeps the cozy vibes that we enjoyed from the first collection of Earl and Worm books.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Earl (an owl) and Worm compliment each other. Worm is tidy and enjoys cleaning. Earl has a big mess.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional Easter egg of albums by seminal alt-rock group The Breeders. 10/10, no notes.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remenicent of frog and toad, but much easier and shorter. Middle stpry abou cleaning so familiar, but fits. I can see why this was Geisel recognized.