Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Worms

Rate this book
A small boy is SO bored at a dinner with the executives from his father's company, he thinks he might just die of boredom! So he's happy to help when his father asks him to bring in the salads from the kitchen. However, when the boy looks at the beautifully prepared shrimp salads laid out to be served to the guests, he gets a strange idea. “I'm not sure why, but looking at the salads, I suddenly thought of worms,” he explains. “The worms I use for fishing bait that I keep in the fridge, way at the back, behind the yogurt.” And just like that, the boy has found a way to turn the boring dinner party into anything but!

24 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2010

1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read

About the author

Bernard Friot

150 books7 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
12 (11%)
4 stars
27 (26%)
3 stars
40 (39%)
2 stars
21 (20%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for karen.
4,012 reviews172k followers
April 9, 2020
there's really not much to say about this one - it's only 24 pages, and many of those pages are illustrations, so there's not a whole lot of content to review. but it definitely doesn't mean there's not much to enjoy in this funny little story about how impulsive mischief can sometimes turn on the mischief-maker, and why it's always better to plan your pranks out ahead of time to avoid these icky consequences.

here we have a young boy who is forced to attend the dinner party his father is hosting at their house for all the senior executives at the factory he owns. and he suffers through the lame jokes and the tedious shop talk and it is just SOOOOOOO BOOOOOOORING.

so when his dad asks him to serve the salad course, he jumps at the opportunity to escape into the kitchen, where he appraises the individual salad bowls with their leafy greens, shrimp, and slivered almonds.

and he gets to thinking….

I'm not sure why, but looking at the salads, I suddenly thought of worms. The worms I use for fishing bait that I keep in the fridge, way at the back, behind the yogurt.

and he has an idea about how to liven this party up!

so he makes a little addition to the salads and sits back to watch the magic unfold



and it's all giggles until he realizes that he's put worms in ALL the salads. oops. back to shenanigans 101 for you, little boy!

it's a cute story, and the illustrations are fun and silly and pretty much exactly what you want from a picture book.

but oh those poor wormies!



it's a great book for anyone who's ever been bored and let their naughty flag fly high.

just remember to get yourself out of harm's way.

come to my blog!
Profile Image for Shoa Khan.
172 reviews185 followers
January 13, 2016
I'm usually quite generous with my ratings when it comes to ARCs, but somehow this story didn't quite work for me :|
(It does feature cute illustrations, however)



This is John-Paul, the son of a wealthy factory owner. One night when his father invites some senior executives over for dinner, John-Paul is so bored with all the grownup talk around him, that he decides to add the worms that he uses as fishing bait to the bowls of salads, that had been laid out for dinner.


Perhaps the story is funny in its native language (it's been translated from French), but I just ended up feeling rather sorry for the worms :|
Profile Image for Jay.
532 reviews29 followers
August 2, 2015
This ARC kindly provided by NetGalley on behalf of the publisher.

a young boy cures his boredom at his dads stuffy dinner party by adding worms to the salad. Any young boy is sure to love this one!
Profile Image for Noura.
396 reviews85 followers
July 10, 2015
While reading this I couldn't stop thinking about how it gave off this vibe similar to that of Madeline. Then when I noticed the name of the author/illustrator and realised they were french as well it made a little bit more sense why I would get that vibe.

Anyway, this was great. Really, really great. It is what happens when you're bored and manage to cause some mischief and that mischief then backfires.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,155 reviews53 followers
July 4, 2015
More weird French humor about a boy tricking adults into eating worms.
Profile Image for Storywraps.
1,968 reviews39 followers
June 30, 2015
A small boy is forced to attend a dinner party given by his dad for executives from his father's company. He can hardly stand it...he is is so bored. Finally his father asks him to go get the salads from the kitchen. The boy eagerly agrees, anything to escape this tediousness.

As he eyes the salads a mischievous little thought enters into his head:


"I'm not sure why, but looking at the salads, I suddenly thought of worms." he explains. "The worms I use for fishing bait that I keep in the fridge, way at the back, behind the yogurt."


Dare he even think of what to do with them next? Yep, he schemes and he smiles and then he adds an extra garnish to the salad - one that will liven up the deadly party for sure. Oh my!

With an impish grin the little boy rolls the salads back to the dining room and proudly serves his special of the day. The illustrations take it from there. You will have a good chuckle as you observe the guests reactions as they discover the hidden surprises embedded ( and wiggling ) in their salads. The little boy turns boring into entertaining!

The illustrator does a brilliant job of adding humorous touches and wonderful details through body language and shocked facial expressions on both the guests and the worms.

This would be a great read-aloud and kids would be disgusted at the very thought of not only finding a worm in their salad but having to eat it! Yew!! Laughter will ensue and discussions will be had regarding how each of the adults responded to their squirmy discovery.

You will simply love the ending of the story. Sometimes what goes around comes around...there enough said. I highly recommend this book and caution you to check out your salads very carefully from now on.
Profile Image for Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*.
6,037 reviews219 followers
December 6, 2016
Friot, Bernard Worms Illustrated by Aurelie Guillerey. 26 unnumbered pages. Kids Can Press, 2015 (originally published in France, 2010). $15.95. PICTURE BOOK

A young boy, the son of a factory owner, is obliged to join his father's small formal dinner party with the senior executives. So bored! When he is asked to bring in the salads, he impulsively adds some worms he keeps in the back of the fridge for fishing bait, one to each plate. Then it's not so boring anymore, but at what cost?

The story covers this one prank, and though it may be humorous to see how the adults deal with the situation without disrupting the meal or their boss, I find the episode disturbing. The stylized drawings and setting make it feel from the 60s, portraying a high society to which most kids today won't be able to relate. This boy is clearly struggling under his father's stern edicts, but he doesn't evoke sympathy from the other adults nor from the reader. To the last, each of the senior executives' faces appear only smug and revengeful at the end when the boy must eat his own worm. As for the reader, I don't feel anything for him either. He is a poor rich kid who laughs at others' discomfort.

EL (1-3) - NO. Reviewed by P.K.Foster, teacher- librarian
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2015/...
Profile Image for Elaine - Splashes Into Books.
3,891 reviews136 followers
August 16, 2015
John-Paul is the son of the factory owner. When his father has some important employees come to dinner, John-Paul has to be there, too and he’s just plain bored. This mischievous young man decides to add worms from his fishing bait to their shrimp salads and then sits back to watch their reactions!

This is the sort of naughty story that children love. It is illustrated throughout in a humorous manner that will certainly enhance the story’s appeal to children. It is a charming short story that will have young readers laughing out loud - until the mischief-maker discovers the consequences of his actions as it all backfires on him!

This is a great story for any parent or teacher looking for something to get children giggling. It is witty and will appeal to youngsters who will find it easy to relate to John-Paul and his antics. It would be interesting to discuss their reactions when his antics backfire on him! I can easily think of some children who I’ve taught who would enjoy reading this book time and time again, I just hope it wouldn't inspire them to try the same prank on anyone!

Thanks to the authors, publisher and NetGalley, too for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Bruce Gargoyle.
874 reviews140 followers
August 24, 2015
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.

Ten Second Synopsis:
A young lad forced to attend a dinner party with his father's boring colleagues hits on an innovative way to liven up proceedings. But has he underestimated the comedic value of his sneaky plan?

This tale will be appreciated by pint-sized pranksters the world over as much for its humour as for its gorgeous retro style illustrations. I particularly enjoyed the expressions on the worms’ faces and then immediately felt guilty, knowing their unhappy fate. There’s not a great deal of text here as the illustrations speak for themselves and the twist at the end of the story will please parent and child alike. I was left mildly disappointed at the story’s ending, as I was hoping for something a bit more unexpected and subversive, but all in all this will be a great addition to the bedtime rotation or for times when the designated bed-time-reading grown-up feels like a tale in which a comeuppance is both sought and provided.
Profile Image for Carla.
7,671 reviews179 followers
July 21, 2015
A young boy is forced to attend a dinner party put on by his father for executives at his company. He introduces his son as their future boss. The poor child is bored to tears. When his father asks him to go and get the salads for their guests, he decides that he will put a worm (the ones he uses for bait and keeps in the back of the refrigerator) in each salad. The story describes how each person either eats the worm (some do not even notice it is there) or gets rid of it. Of course the joke backfires as the boy has to eat his work as well. There was really not much to this story and the illustrations were rather plain. I think little boys might think this is cute, but I am not sure about other children. Overall, I was not impressed.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jim.
1,790 reviews66 followers
December 1, 2015
What a weird little book.

So, John-Paul is bored when his father, the owner of a factory, has a dinner for all the senior executives. Now, I don’t really care for all these stuffed shirts, so I’ll probably enjoy whatever mischief John-Paul gets in.

And he decides to put a worm in everyone’s salads (he keeps them in the fridge for fishing).

I’m kind of disturbed by all the worms’ facial expressions as they get eaten.

I’m not sure what to think. It’s not really funny, per se. (Though John-Paul thinks it is.) I think kids will simultaneously be amused and horrified as everyone eats their worms.

This is probably one of those books that people will or won’t enjoy, depending on their palate.

So to speak.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for a copy in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Rana G..
47 reviews9 followers
January 24, 2016
Title: Worms
Author: Bernard Friot,
illustrator: Aurélie Guillerey
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Pub Date: Sep 1 2015
Page count: 24
Genre: children's, picture books
Source: NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review
Format: e-ARC
Rating: Adore
Cover: 9\10
Review:

Worms are such a hilarious book that all mischief-ish kids will love.

I let my six-years-old cousin read it, and only a few hours later he asked me to read it again! He liked how correctly, he could predict what was occurring, and that only tells how clever the illustration was! With vibrant colors yet simple. He also thought it was a funny and easy read, and laughed, even more, when things backfired.

My cousin says that he recommends it!
Profile Image for Jezire C Akin.
421 reviews24 followers
January 27, 2016
I was an absolutely adorable read and I appreciate netgalley.com and the publisher for giving me this copy for review.

I loved it. I am studying to be an elementary school teacher and am really looking for fun, topical, and entertaining reads for children and I definitely think that this story fits the bill.

I would recommend this if you are looking for something witty and different than other children's books.

Adding worms to a fancy adult dinner was just perfect for stirring things up.

The illustrations were great and although the text was simple the story definitely came to life.

I would recommend this.
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,713 reviews25 followers
December 16, 2015
This was...interesting. I think it will really appeal to very young children who might find it hilarious - especially boys. Our intrepid hero is stuck eating dinner with his dad and his work executives, and it is soooo boring....until Dad asks John-Paul to bring in the salads. John-Paul thinks it'll be funny to add worms to everyone's salad and delights in watching how everyone reacts - and most eat! - the worms. Then the tables are turned as he realizes he also put a worm in his own, and he must gulp it down.

Originally in French, I do wonder if some of it got lost in translation - perhaps it is funnier in the original language :-P
55 reviews1 follower
December 9, 2015
John-Paul has probably sat at too many stuffy dinners with his father and executives from his work. He decides to have some fun and watches for everyone’s reaction as they discover the worms he added to their salads when he brought them in from the kitchen. Of course the executives can’t say anything but perhaps they have the last laugh when his father tells him to eat his salad. … gulp…. The illustrations are charming in simple line drawings with red, black, yellow and green colors. It is a truly funny story but it is a high class tale.
Profile Image for infoqueen.
50 reviews5 followers
July 5, 2015
A mischievous little boy, forced to endure the boredom of his father’s business dinner party (“They were all talking about things that were too boring for me to understand.”) decides to liven up the evening—and the salads!—with the title creatures. Kids will squeal with disgust and delight as each guest copes with the unexpected garnish—including the perpetrator. The retro style illustration with their bold, bright colors, and the expressions of alarm on the worms just add to the fun.
Profile Image for Lisa Boyd.
664 reviews18 followers
November 28, 2015
This was a really cute story about a very mischievous boy who tries to make his father's dinner party a little more exciting. I really love the old fashioned feeling of the illustrations and the colors being so bold and pretty. My 2 and 4 year old daughters loved this book and my 8 year old thought it was gross but cool. I received an advanced electronic copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
Profile Image for Julie.
169 reviews
January 15, 2016
Warning: Inspect all of your food before eating! What little boy doesn't enjoy getting into a tad bit of mischief? John-Paul is forced to attend dads oh-so- boring dinner party, so he decides to, quite literally, ADD his own ingredient to the party! This is a silly and fun read aloud that younger children and students will definitely enjoy.
*I received an ARC via NetGalley & publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Angel.
Author 1 book9 followers
July 23, 2015
John-Paul is a very mischevious boy! This is a tale of his boredom and how he chooses to fix it. Your skin is sure to crawl. By putting a worm in the dinner guests salads, he watches as each one realizes they have a worm in thier salad and how they handle it. Fun story! ARC through Netgalley and Kids Can Press for an honest review.
Profile Image for Barbra.
1,410 reviews8 followers
September 5, 2015
When a young boy attends a totally boring executive dinner and is asked to help serve the salad, he can’t help but make things more interesting. However, when he is asked to eat his own salad, he has not choice but to also eat the worm as well. This cute story of mischievousness would appeal to ages four to seven.
Profile Image for Sheila.
276 reviews3 followers
September 15, 2015
This book is going to tickle the fancy of adults and children alike! The illustrations are inviting, the story is funny and as silly as it is, it opens the door to a conversation about manners and behaving "appropriately" at the dinner table. Mostly, it is a fun story that the 4.5+ crowd will request again and again, because we all secretly wish we could put worms in a salad, just once!
Profile Image for Quintina.
235 reviews
July 2, 2015
Net Galley ARC
When a young boy is force to attend his father's dinner party for his co-workers, he decides to entertain himself by putting worms in all of their salads.

A clever and humorous book kids will enjoy.
Profile Image for Dana.
2,415 reviews
July 27, 2015
In this cutely illustrated silly story, a young boy puts worms in everyone's salads at his father's fancy dinner party. I received this book free to review from Netgalley. I think kids will think it is funny.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.