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The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms
A 2024 Washington Children's Choice Award Nominee
A funny picture book celebrating the universal truth about wanting to be loved just as you are, fangs and all, inspired by the real-life legend of Mongolian Death Worms.
Like the ongoing search for Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster, scientists have searched the Gobi Desert for these giant worms. Reported sightings claim that their skin is blood red; their fangs razor sharp. The worms are supposedly poisonous and electrifying . . . or are they?
In this funny story, we meet the Mongolian Death Worm Beverly, Trevor, Neville and Kevin. In spite of their deadly reputation, they’re determined to make nice and win over the other animals. Their overtures of friendship are . . . not reciprocated. But when disaster strikes, it’s the Mongolian Death Worm family to the rescue!
With additional information about the legend, this book is perfect for storytime and discussions of legends and science. Perfect for fans of Ben Clanton, Sandra Fay's The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms will leave readers of all ages laughing and heartwarmed!
Godwin Books
A funny picture book celebrating the universal truth about wanting to be loved just as you are, fangs and all, inspired by the real-life legend of Mongolian Death Worms.
Like the ongoing search for Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster, scientists have searched the Gobi Desert for these giant worms. Reported sightings claim that their skin is blood red; their fangs razor sharp. The worms are supposedly poisonous and electrifying . . . or are they?
In this funny story, we meet the Mongolian Death Worm Beverly, Trevor, Neville and Kevin. In spite of their deadly reputation, they’re determined to make nice and win over the other animals. Their overtures of friendship are . . . not reciprocated. But when disaster strikes, it’s the Mongolian Death Worm family to the rescue!
With additional information about the legend, this book is perfect for storytime and discussions of legends and science. Perfect for fans of Ben Clanton, Sandra Fay's The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms will leave readers of all ages laughing and heartwarmed!
Godwin Books
40 pages, Hardcover
Published February 22, 2022
3 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Fay
2 books12 followersSandra Fay is an author-illustrator who uses potatoes and paint to make art. She is the creator of The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband, two daughters, and three cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 11, 2023
Did you know that in the Gobi desert....are these monstrous evil killer Mongolian Death Worms....
They have electric shocking abilities, poisonous venom, a face of fangs ....
their names are Trevor, Beverly, and their sons Neville and Kevin.
Their appearance makes them the stuff of nightmares, but they are misunderstood creatures.
When a fierce rainstorm threatens the lives of the animals in the desert, the Death Worm family may just save the day.
A very fun spin on the legend of this terrifying animal; Warning: If you look up what these creatures (not their illustrated counterparts look like), just remember what book you just read and don't judge this creature from appearances.
I'll be honest, after I read it, I understood the book's obvious theme of acceptance and being quick to judge. I did also look up the rare images of this creature (many thought it was a cryptid) and they are truly frightening. It's no wonder horror films have used them as a source of material, but go back and re-read this book after you do, and you'll love Bev, Trev, Nev and Kev, and maybe be inspired to go down the wormhole and explore some more about this elusive creature of legend.
They have electric shocking abilities, poisonous venom, a face of fangs ....
their names are Trevor, Beverly, and their sons Neville and Kevin.
Their appearance makes them the stuff of nightmares, but they are misunderstood creatures.
When a fierce rainstorm threatens the lives of the animals in the desert, the Death Worm family may just save the day.
A very fun spin on the legend of this terrifying animal; Warning: If you look up what these creatures (not their illustrated counterparts look like), just remember what book you just read and don't judge this creature from appearances.
I'll be honest, after I read it, I understood the book's obvious theme of acceptance and being quick to judge. I did also look up the rare images of this creature (many thought it was a cryptid) and they are truly frightening. It's no wonder horror films have used them as a source of material, but go back and re-read this book after you do, and you'll love Bev, Trev, Nev and Kev, and maybe be inspired to go down the wormhole and explore some more about this elusive creature of legend.
February 14, 2022
Amazing and funny book, absolutely loved the death worms!! such a funny twist on the legend of death worms.
March 20, 2022
File this one under 'implausible, wild concepts that really work.' I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book going into it, whether that be with a picture book that has Death in the title, relatively gruesome illustrations, and a subject matter that isn't immediately familiar.
I'm happy to say that this book delivers pleasant surprises. In terms of kid-appeal, it's got enough intrigue and wonder to be a frequently requested reread. The accessible central hook is the family element, as the Mongolian Death Worm family of Kev, Bev, Trev, and Nev look to be accepted by their community.
Really loved this one. It's absolutely worth owning - not only is it a fun read and provides layers of potential discussion material, it's also really fun to talk about with family members who haven't read it and don't know what to expect.
I'm happy to say that this book delivers pleasant surprises. In terms of kid-appeal, it's got enough intrigue and wonder to be a frequently requested reread. The accessible central hook is the family element, as the Mongolian Death Worm family of Kev, Bev, Trev, and Nev look to be accepted by their community.
Really loved this one. It's absolutely worth owning - not only is it a fun read and provides layers of potential discussion material, it's also really fun to talk about with family members who haven't read it and don't know what to expect.
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April 22, 2022A readable and ridiculous story about a family of Mongolian Death Worms. They've gotten a bad rap, and no matter their efforts the neighbors are still suspicious and alarmed. But one day, this charming family of Death Worms finds a special skill that they are able to use to save their community. A charming reminder to not judge others based on rumors or assumptions, and to foster community connections.
Perfect for any reader who loves books like Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, Vampirina Ballerina, or those featuring any kind of lovable monster.
Perfect for any reader who loves books like Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, Vampirina Ballerina, or those featuring any kind of lovable monster.
November 4, 2023
Nominated for the 2024 Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award, this will be a fun one for the kids. I think we may have to start by talking about where the Gobi is and what a legend is. I hope I don't get parent calls about nightmares like when I read Little Red Riding Hood. I know some students will LOVE this.
Read this to the whole school. It was a hit. It's really hard to explain a legend though. So many kids are convinced Sasquatch is real and then present these worms. I had them count on their fingers how many of themselves or someone they knew turn pink like baloney when they come in from recess. How many of them spit when they talk sometimes? How many brush their teeth? Who has run around a carpeted room and shocked or got shocked by a cousin? Hmmm, I started to think my students were death worms!
Read this to the whole school. It was a hit. It's really hard to explain a legend though. So many kids are convinced Sasquatch is real and then present these worms. I had them count on their fingers how many of themselves or someone they knew turn pink like baloney when they come in from recess. How many of them spit when they talk sometimes? How many brush their teeth? Who has run around a carpeted room and shocked or got shocked by a cousin? Hmmm, I started to think my students were death worms!
March 14, 2022
Oh this is a good one! Great illustrations, fun story and hey I learned something about Mongolian Death Worms. A family of Mongolian death worms - their reputation as being deadly and scary preceded them, but they are just like everyone else and want to be a part of a community with friends. Read this delightful book to see how they break down the barriers and even become incredibly helpful to the community they are trying to be a part of. In this “cancel society”- what a fun and educational way to help kids be accepting of others. Wonderful book! 5 stars
October 29, 2023
A humorous take on the mysterious and rather creepy creature known as the Mongolian Death Worm. These worms are thought of as monsters and ready to chow down on any prey that comes into their turf in the Gobi Desert. But that's not true to the worm family, they're rather pleasant and tries to show their good intentions to their animal neighbors, even when there are more misses than hits.
Fay uses the Mongolian Death Worm as a symbol of to never judge a book by its cover. The worms do their best to present the best impression of themselves and to show others they are no threat. Simple text that compliments the paper cutout art. Surprising to see a story about these worms outside of cryptid works.
Fay uses the Mongolian Death Worm as a symbol of to never judge a book by its cover. The worms do their best to present the best impression of themselves and to show others they are no threat. Simple text that compliments the paper cutout art. Surprising to see a story about these worms outside of cryptid works.
March 6, 2022
The Mongolian Death Worm family is tired of all the other animals being scared of them. They each come up with an idea to win them over, but it doesn't work. They retreat back home until something unexpected happens, and the family is there to help. There is additional information about the legend in the back. We are a family of four, just like the Mongolian Death Worm family. We each voiced a character, and my 3-year-old loved it. He asked to read it again and again.
March 30, 2024
Come for the death worms, stay for the illustrations of all of the shocked and terrified other desert animals.
This was very cute and funny, with, of course a great message of acceptance and finding your place in your community. The illustrations of the worms are just wild enough to probably get some EWWWs from little kids, which can be a great teachable moment about not judging others by their looks or something. (What do I know, I have cats, not human children.) Also probably a great tool for teaching about geography and land types, as the worms live in the Mongolian desert.
(Shai-Hulud sends its regards)
This was very cute and funny, with, of course a great message of acceptance and finding your place in your community. The illustrations of the worms are just wild enough to probably get some EWWWs from little kids, which can be a great teachable moment about not judging others by their looks or something. (What do I know, I have cats, not human children.) Also probably a great tool for teaching about geography and land types, as the worms live in the Mongolian desert.
(Shai-Hulud sends its regards)
June 27, 2024
Such a hilarious book with a subtle theme of not judging someone by how they look or the rumors about them. Plus some really interesting back matter about Mongolian Death Worms. Read it for the laughs, stay for the theme, then read it again for the laughs!
March 11, 2022
Such a fun picture book! Perfect for a laugh, and to teach kids about getting to know someone before making judgements.
Love the illustrations!
Love the illustrations!
May 23, 2022
This humorous picture book reminds us not to judge people by their first impressions.
October 1, 2022
I absolutely loved it, I thought the drawings were very funny and the book was written very well, a cute and silly book
December 20, 2022
A heartwarming tale full of fangs, venom and electric shocks. Highly recommended.
March 4, 2022
This is a very funny book! The Mongolian Death Worm family JUST wants friends, but everyone is afraid of them. By the end of the book, they find a very clever way to make friends after all their other attempts fail. I loved the info in the back about the real legend! My 8&9 year old boys love this one!!
April 26, 2024
This book is amazing and everyone should read it. The end.
July 2, 2024
Great tale about not believing rumors!
March 1, 2022
This book is very strange and slightly creepy but also cute. If you liked the Stinky Cheese Man, you'll love this book.
February 24, 2022
Silly. And then it gets even sillier. It’s great if you are going for deep belly laughs during a read-aloud. The illustrations are hilarious. Just the right amount of back matter at the end to answer the genuine questions kids will have about Mongolian death worms, which are apparently a real thing.
April 24, 2022
A fun story about subverting expectations/stereotypes. A bit long for storytime but really cute. Kids might enjoy pretending they're the desert animals and acting out being afraid on the relevent pages. I think I'm going to pair this with My Dog Banana by Brouillard and Petra by Coppo for a "Not What Things Seem" storytime.
February 23, 2022
No cute unicorns or pretty fairies in this legend! Amazing illustrations and hilarious, quirky characters tell a funny story with a good message. Love that the Mongolian Death Worms are actually a 'real' legend.
February 16, 2022
Delightful + zany + hilarious + darling illustrations :)
February 4, 2022
Mongolian Deathworms are terrifying and deadly. With sharp fangs, red skin, poisonous venom and electric shocks, it's a good thing they are only legendary. But wait . . . they don't think they are, in fact, they are a nice family who just want to be friends with everyone. But they look so scary, everyone runs when they see them. They decide to wear name tags to appear more friendly, and snazzy outfits don't help either. Even making some fun snacks and inviting the local animals over doesn't work. But when a sudden rainstorm floods the desert, the Mongolian Deathworms demonstrate their super power - finally a way to make friends!
Ok, I should have known from the title that this wasn't non-fiction. Fay totally had me until they introduced them as a family with names. Funny and a bit creepy, I think kids will have a lot of fun with this title. A great book about being yourself and celebrating your differences. It was super cool to see in the author's note that there really is a legend about Mongolian Deathworms.
Cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
Ok, I should have known from the title that this wasn't non-fiction. Fay totally had me until they introduced them as a family with names. Funny and a bit creepy, I think kids will have a lot of fun with this title. A great book about being yourself and celebrating your differences. It was super cool to see in the author's note that there really is a legend about Mongolian Deathworms.
Cross posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
April 1, 2022
This was a lot of fun to read.
January 13, 2024
For elementary visits/story times.
September 2, 2022
Fabulous artwork, clever puns, and unique protagonists make this story work on so many levels, using the legend of the Mongolian Death Worms in such creative and entertaining ways—that is, until the final page, which seems to suggest that the worms have wiggled their way into the good graces of the community only to betray their newly found friends and confirm the worms’ deadly reputation. Are they the most soft and cuddly, nicest and kindest creatures in the entire desert after all?
June 15, 2021
Did not dig this book on worms. It is a bit cliche, done before and the illustrations were so not my style. With that said, I know several people who will eat up this book coming November 2021. Especially if they like funny stories, stories about friendships, and not judging a book by its cover. The afterwards with the "True Story About the Legend" was a delightful addition.
January 17, 2023
My first thought when I first opened the book was what in the world am I reading?? It turns out, this is a sweet story about wanting to fit in and be accepted - based around the myth of actual Mongolian Death Worms (which sound similar to Sasquatch siting's; believe if you will!). It's a fun read-aloud story.
November 5, 2024
I found this book at the library and immediately thought my four year old would like it. After we read it, she carried it around with her for the entire week looking at the pictures and asking me questions about the book over and over. The best part, is that now she insists we must all dress up as Mongolian Death Worms for Halloween next year. Great find at the library!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews