EARL & WORM #2

Earl and Worm return—hooray!

Once again, odd-couple Earl (a bird) and his neighbor Worm (who’s the same size as Earl and thus definitely not his prey) pair up in a trio of stories that are just right for new readers. First, neatnik Worm helps clutter-bug Earl get rid of some items he no longer needs—and ends up acquiring many of those things for herself. The second tale sees the usually affable Earl despairing after a lucky penny he finds seems to bring him bad luck instead of good, until Worm makes everything better. In the final story, Earl goes along with Worm’s determined effort to stay up all night to watch the sunrise. Each entry displays thoughtful timing that ramps up the humor—for instance, a comical denouement to “The Lucky Penny” shows bad luck befalling Worm after she resolves Earl’s woes. Throughout, Pizzoli’s expertise in marrying words and cartoon-style pictures will support new readers’ decoding skills while enhancing the storytelling, such as when Earl’s stuff spills over the book’s gutter onto Worm’s otherwise-tidy side. Pizzoli’s line drawings are simple yet expressive; Worm’s grumpy looks are especially delightful to behold.

Another surefire hit in this winsome series.