They Didn't Teach THIS in Worm School!

Worm & Pigeon #1

by Simone Lia

A buddy comedy featuring a worm and a chicken-like bird that will have readers wriggling with laughter.

Marcus is a worm. He likes the colour brown. He likes mud (because it's brown). And he likes digging holes in the mud-brown earth. Strangely, he likes beat boxing, too. But when Marcus meets Laurence (a scruffy, fat bird who looks a lot like a chicken ... and thinks he's a flamingo!), he comes face to face with his worst fear. Will he get eaten for breakfast? It is a Very Bad Situation. Marcus has two choices: Survive, Or get slurped up like a piece of spaghetti. Mustering all his worm instincts, he finds himself striking up a conversation. It's amazing how a simple "Good morning!" can end up saving your life... And so begins a tale of high adventure, wily tricks and unlikely friendship. Simone Lia has created a heartwarming comedy classic that will have readers wriggling with laughter.

Genres: Middle Grade, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Picture Books, Birds

192 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2016

About the author

Simone Lia is a graphic novelist and a comics artist, and her work has been exhibited across Europe, including at the Tate Britain. She lives and works in London.

Reviews

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

They Didn’t Teach This in Worm School, is a funny, completely humorous, and very silly book that I would say is aimed at 7 years plus children, those that are confident readers.

Marcus is a worm. He likes being a worm and doesn’t desire much in life. Laurence is a bird, looks like a pigeon, but he thinks he’s a flamingo. He has wild dreams and one very special to him. He wants to go an live in Africa, Lake Nakuru in Kenya to be precise, to be with his family, the flamingos.

After nearly eating Marcus, they come to a deal. Marcus will navigate Laurence to Africa, although Marcus doesn’t even know where Africa is, nor how to read a map, and Laurence won’t eat him.

The book is an astonishing tale of two very different creatures, the predator and the prey, becoming friends, and going through a lot of mishaps, making friends and overcoming enemies, on their long journey.

I think this book is brilliant. It had me laughing out loud at times. It has a great plot, with perfect characters. Marcus is full of wisdom, where Laurence is a little naive. I feel that the author did a wonderful job having Marcus narrator the story.

There are illustrations on every page, a mixture of grey, white and red, some with comic book style quotes. This made the story more enjoyable, and a page turner.

I think kids looking for a humorous book will love this story of one worms tale of survival, and finding friendship in an unusual circumstance.

Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

[Neda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovely book and maybe the one that works well for children (definitely it has written for children to learn). Through the book, you can see how Marcus and Laurence make friendship and they make it a real and deep one. It is nice to see when you see they support each other and how sincere they are. It is true that this friendship came out of chance and being scared, but there is a kind of innocence and purity in it.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit was echt een supergrappig, leuk boek over een worm, en een vogel (die denkt dat hij een flamingo is).

Ik zag dit boek in de bibliotheek en wist: Dit moet ik lezen! Een maffe vogel die denkt dat ie een flamingo is, hahaha. Een worm die het verhaal verteld. Wat kan er fout gaan. :P

Zeker pluspunten naar de Nederlandse titel voor dit boek. De titel heeft me als eerste overgehaald om dit boek te lezen. Het past voor mijn gevoel beter bij het boek dan de Engelse titel. Die ook wel bij het verhaal past, maar toch minder (zoals ze dat in Engels zeggen) catchy is.

De achterkant van het boek was echt goed, en dan ook het tweede wat me overhaalde om het boek te lezen. Ik lag dubbel om de achterkant, mijn vriend trouwens ook toen ik het aan hem voorlas.

Zeg hallo tegen Laurens. Een vogel die wel iets van een combinatie van een kip en een duif heeft, maar denkt dat hij een flamingo is. Zijn grootste wens? Naar Afrika gaan en daar zijn mede-flamingo's zien. Nou hoor ik je zeggen waarom kan ie dat niet dan? Hij kan toch vliegen? Ja, maar helaas raakt hij supersnel verdwaald. Echt heel snel verdwaald en heeft ie geen gevoel voor richting. Niet echt handig als je een vogel bent.

En dan ontmoet hij Marcus, de worm in zijn eten (ja, Marcus is in slaap gevallen in een stel aardappelen, en nu is hij dus belandt op het bord van Laurens). Ze kletsen en algauw is het besloten dat Laurens het nog eens gaat proberen (na een peptalk met Marcus), en dat Marcus (vanwege zijn goede richtingsgevoel) mag laten weten waar ze heen gaan.

Tja, je kunt al bedenken hoe dit eindigt. Het hele verhaal is hilarisch en je ligt constant dubbel om de avonturen die de twee meemaken. Echt, ze zijn allebei een beetje een idioot. Ik zal niks verklappen, maar echt, het verbaasde me niet dat Laurens nooit verder van huis is gekomen.

Er zijn ook nog wat andere karakters die gezellig hoi zeggen, en ik moet zeggen dat de eekhoorn echt een leuke toevoeging was. Ik was ook heel blij voor haar aan het einde.

Het einde was echt leuk en ik was heel blij voor iedereen in het boek. Vooral onze twee hoofdpersonen Laurens en Marcus.

Er zijn ook illustraties en die passen perfect bij het boek en de komedie.

Zou ik dit boek aanraden? Ja, echt wel. Als je even een slechte dag hebt maakt dit boek alles weer goed, je zult dubbel liggen.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 stor​y 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.

[Ina Vainohullu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein Wurm und ein Huhn, das sich selbst für einen Flamingo hält, treffen aufeinander, reden über ihre Hobbys und Wünsche und befinden sich ganz plötzlich auf einer spannenden Reise, auf der sie allerhand erleben.

Dieses Buch ist absolut schräg, ja beinahe schon skurril und trotzdem so großartig, weil es zwei wichtige Kernaussagen enthält und vermittelt. Nämlich die, das es völlig Okay ist wer und wie du bist und die, das die Freundschaft ein wirklich hohes und wichtiges Gut ist.

MARCUS stand jetzt lange ungelesen in meinem Regal und ist wohl auch dieses eine Königskind, das die Leute bisher am wenigsten beachtet haben, dabei ist es ein super unterhaltsames und durch seine Aussagen wunderschönes Büchlein.
Wenn ich es einer Kategorie zuordnen müsste, dann würde ich sagen, das es vor allem aufgrund der großen Schrift, des einfachen Schreibstils, der kindlichen aber schönen Illustrationen wohl eher ein Kinderbuch ist, das sich hervorragend zum Vorlesen für Kinder ab 4,5,6 eignet. ABER aufgrund seiner Kernaussagen ist es wiederum auch sehr zeitlos. Simone Lia hat es tatsächlich nach nur wenigen Seiten ( das Buch hat auch nicht besonders viele ) schon geschafft mich in ihren Bann zu ziehen und so folgte ich einem Wurm und einem Huhn auf einer spannenden Reise.

Sie fliegen über Paris, wo, so vermutet Marcus, der Fortschritt dafür gesorgt hat, das es nicht nur einen, sondern gleich ganz viele Eiffeltürme gibt, sie begegnen anderen Würmern, aber auch feindlich gesinnten Tierchen. Doch was auch immer sie erleben, das Wichtigste ist, das sie, obwohl sie so unterschiedlich sind und Laurence Marcus mit einem einzigen Happs verspeisen könnte, sie immer wieder füreinander einstehen und zusammenhalten und so eine sehr ungewöhnliche, aber aufrichtige Freundschaft entsteht.

Mir hat das Buch gut gefallen und ich habe es in nur 1 1/2 Stunden weggesuchtet, denn es liest sich nicht nur sehr flüssig weg, sondern ist mit wirklich vielen Illustrationen gespickt und hat nur 192 Seiten.

Kann ich es empfehlen ? Oh ja, definitiv und zwar allen Altersgruppen.

[Nostalgia Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun adventure story with a strong theme focusing friendship and not judging others by who they are or what they believe. The story telling style is not one that I’m terribly crazy about–even when I was in grade school, I didn’t like it too much–but the story itself was a good balance of adventure, hijinks, and lessons about friendship.

Although the ARC copy didn’t have all the illustrations, the ones that there I did get to see were fun and added some visual humor to the story. There is a good balance of small supplementary illustrations and full page ones, making this an excellent transitionary chapter book or as a read-aloud for afternoon/snack time reading in class.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!

(Cross posted on my blog.)

[Rebekah Crain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle grade chapter book is short, but it’s also very sweet. They Didn’t Teach THIS in Worm School follows a worm named Marcus as he meets a bird named Laurence. The two quickly, albeit surprisingly, become friends of sorts and set out on a high flying whirlwind adventure. The pair learns several valuable life lessons, such as giving people the benefit of the doubt and being comfortable in your own skin. I think Lia did a fine job when she wrote this book. It’s very cute and sure to be a hit with young readers.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for letting me check this one out.

[Avital Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly funny and heartwarming graphic novel about an unlikely friendship.

I often find stories that try to be funny for children contrived or stilted, but the pace and use of emphasis within the dialogue, as well as Lia’s simple and charming illustrations make this an enjoyable read for adults, and I’m sure for older/sceptical children too.

I felt that the message of supportive and accepting friendship was made refreshingly transparent through Marcus’s narration. This would be a lovely book to use with a class, who could easily use this as a stimulus for exploring countries such as France/Kenya, any of the animals mentioned, music or pshe.

[GNRLibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Marcus, a worm who uses his quick-thinking brain to get himself out of becoming breakfast for Laurence, a bird who looks a lot like a chicken. Together they go on a very unlikely adventure as they make their way to Kenya. Because Laurence is convinced he is actually a flamingo, and flamingos live in Kenya. Of course! Although this is truly a silly story, there are also heartfelt lessons on kindness, teamwork, and friendship.

[Seawood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this little book - think I've found my next book club read-aloud! It's a great deal of fun, lots of cartoons that add to rather than distract from the text. Great for confident Y2s and Y3-4s.

[Zahra Labbafan · Rating 3 out of 5]

خواهرزاده‌ام اومد گفت: خاله این کتاب رو بخون ببین چقدر قشنگه و بعدش باهم در مورد حرف بزنیم.

و واقعا کتاب خوبی بود... چقدر قشنگ با یک داستان میشه اعتماد به نفس و کلی خصلت خوب دیگه رو تو بچه ها به وجود آورد.

کتاب با ترجمه فرمهر منجزی توسط نشر ایران بان ترجمه شده

[Julie lit pour les autres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nono et rigolo, plein de clins d'oeil et d'une innocence complètement charmante.

[Brooke Beschorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook with my daughter while traveling. There were laugh out loud moments. There is an underlying tone of accepting how we look and feel. It was a good read.

[Celestine · Rating 5 out of 5]

God bless Marcus.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Laura N · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One day, Marcus the worm finds himself face to face with a bird, about to become breakfast. Desperate to get away with his life, he asks the bird about his hobbies. This results in the unlikely pair-Marcus the worm and Laurence a chicken looking bird who thinks he is a flamingo-setting off on an adventure. Destination: Africa. They have quite the journey, and in the end they learn the importance of friendship and kindness.
The hijinks in They Didn't Teach This in Worm School were a bit much for me. There was so much going on that I almost felt dizzy. However, the target audience probably won't see this as a problem!

[Stephanie Lucianovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny, quirky, inventive and an out-of-the-box that I totally loved.

[Whatmykidsandiread Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner
“They Didn’t Teach This in Worm School,” by graphic novelist Simone Lia, is the story of the unlikely friendship of Marcus, the worm, and Laurence, the chicken (well, he’s been mistaken for a chicken his entire life but is convinced he’s really a flamingo).
Actually, it doesn’t start out as a friendship. It starts out as Marcus not wanting to get eaten by Laurence. Which means Marcus will agree to anything, even if it means helping Laurence find his way to Kenya, to where the flamingos live. And then a zany adventures ensues.

When I was reading it, I was thinking just how silly and weird and goofy and sorta random at times this book was....but then I thought: oh yeah, that makes it obviously a great fit for that 7 to 9-year-old age range. There are a ton of really fun illustrations, pretty much on every page, and I noticed that my kids were immediately drawn to the overall look of the book; it’s just a super kid-friendly design.

I thought this book had great messages of friendship and kindness, mixed right alongside the silliness. Marcus and Laurence’s plan doesn’t exactly work out the way they hoped (let’s just say that Africa isn’t very easy for them to find...), but they don’t give up!

Thanks to the #kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always a pleasant surprise to find a novel that is perfect for those readers that are just venturing out into the chapter book scene. Although this book might be just a tad too long for some students to tackle until they build up a little more stamina, the content is perfect for engaging them throughout. It is funny, witty, but also enough on the nose that nothing will go over their heads. Add that to the fact that there is an ample amount of pictures incorporated into the pages that allows for this to be an early on chapter book experience with a little bit of comfort. From an adult perspective, this book had enough meat to it that I didn't become bored and I also didn't have any roll my eyes moments like I sometimes get with a story written for this age group. I picked this book up because my local library has it on their Children's Battle of the Books list, and I agree with the librarians that it's a great book to put into the hands of kids! Funny situation, memorable characters struggling with an identity crisis and a solution to the problem that leaves you with a satisfying ending.

[Hannah-Grace Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This chapter book tells the story of a worm, named Marcus. He meets a chicken named Laurence. Originally Laurence wants to eat Marcus, but this little worm surprises him and they become the best of friends! Together, this unlikely duo make it through some of the toughest, and weirdest situations, all while making friends along the way!

This book was so funny, and was such an interesting story! One of my favorite parts is when they think that they have flown to Paris over night! They wake up and see what the think is the Eiffel Tower, only to later find out that they are some kind of telephone pole! The illustrations in this book are precious, and I think it is such a fun story about the power of unlikely friendships.

You could definitely use this book in a classroom, and I think younger boys would especially appreciate the humor of this quirky book. You could have the students read the book and create their own pair of unlikely friends. They could then write their own story about how the two met and the adventures that they went on!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Marcus, a homebody worm, encounters Laurence, a flying chicken (with a flamingo complex) who intends to eat him, he never expects that they will become fast friends and head to Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya with him navigating from his perch atop Laurence’s soft feathers. Comic-style illustrations in gray, black, and red heighten the humor as the pair travel to places that aren’t what they think they are (mistaking an electrical tower for the Eiffel Tower, they think they’re in Paris), learn new skills (dancing and sleep-flying), and trick hungry new acquaintances (a mole, squirrel, and crow). Finally, they arrive at what they think is Lake Nakuru (actually the flamingo pond in a zoo) only to discover they aren’t far from where they began and that dreams of adventure can come true—even if you discover you’re not a flamingo. Most importantly, Marcus learns that friends make you “try to be a better worm.”

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[AmberBug com* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a cute chapter book and Zoey got such a kick out of it. I wish the series was more than 2 books! It's a cute premise and has some good lessons to teach in a very creative way. The humor is spot on for both kids and even considers the parents who get to read the book. I found myself wanting to read the next chapter and the next ... which is a great sign but not great when you extend bedtime and extra hour to find out what happens next. LOL

Definitely recommend this for any parent who wants an entertaining book with some substance. The pictures included are done well and give the child a chance to 'picture' the scenes without overdoing it. I'm really obsessed with reading these chapter books with my Kindergartener and I wish this Author wrote more of these!!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[jennyreadit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the @kidlitexchange network for a review copy. All opinions are my own. Marcus is a worm and knows he’s a worm. Laurence is a chicken that knows he’s a flamingo. To stall for time and hopefully avoid being Lawrence’s breakfast, Marcus meets Lawrence with a hearty “ Good morning” and their friendship begins. Lawrence insists Marcus’ good navigational skills can take them to Africa where his flamingo family lives. Together they have an adventure and everyone learns you don’t have to look like a flamingo; just believe in yourself to be one. A fun read about a 🐛 that follows the rules and a 🐥that follows his ♥️.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite the charmer! The worm Marcus is our very funny protagonist who befriends a bird who is trying to eat him named Laurence. The two end up befriending each other reluctantly after some misunderstandings and misadventures. There is some wonderful humor in this, including the fact Laurence believes very deeply he is a flamingo and the worm culture and rituals of Marcus. There are a lot of jokes about worm bodies and being a worm that I just smiled at. A great early chapter book, a real crack up

[Landon Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. My favorite character is Marcus the worm because In the start He tells his favorite color and his hobby.when he dreams About a potato spaceship and then he fell into a bucket with a bird holding the bucket. He woke up Marcus Thought The bird part was a dream, it was real!
2. What surprised me was the birds name is laurence. Laurence Did not eat Marcus and Laurence wished to go to kenya.
3. I would change the ending because the end Only had Pictures I want to add a little more to the end, that's how I will change the end.

[Chris Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my very favourite books as a small child was the Ahlbergs’ Little Worm Book, which in a small way has influenced huge chunks of stuff I’ve made over the years. And it delights me to say that Simone Lia’s They Didn’t Teach This In Worm School is in every way another great worm based kids’ book. Lia’s stuff has always been great but she’s found a wonderful way to apply it to children AND somehow make one of the most joyously daft books I’ve read in years. I dream of making stuff like this. It’s so good

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while for this one to get moving, starting out as a silly book about a worm and a chicken trying to fly to Africa together. The worm agrees to be navigator to avoid being the chicken's breakfast, and the chicken agrees to not eat the worm since he thinks the worm can read maps. In the end, though, there's a really good message about not judging others based on our own expectations of them, standing up for our friends, and getting to know people better.

[Amanda Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Monty-Python-esque humor in this book about a worm and a bird. Unlikely friends yet they have many adventures. Quickly paced.

The partial chapter book/picture book format is well done and I like how the coloring is mostly limited to black, white, and pink tones.

Slight complaint--Why do they keep referring to France and then Africa? These are not equivalent. We can refer to African countries, please.