Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends: Ready-to-Read Graphics Level 1

by Kaz Windness, Kaz Windness (Illustrator)

Overview

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Graphic Novel & Comic
A New York Public Library Best Book
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book

This heartwarming and affirming Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics book celebrates the beauty of true friendship!

Worm and Caterpillar are friends—best friends. Worm loves how they are just alike, but Caterpillar has a feeling there is a big change coming. Then Caterpillar disappears for a while and comes back as Butterfly. Will Butterfly and Worm still be friends?

Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665920001
Publisher:	Simon Spotlight
Publication date:	01/31/2023
Series:	Ready-to-Read Graphics
Pages:	64
Sales rank:	24,376
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 6 Years

About the Author

Kaz Windness is the author-illustrator of picture books Swim, Jim! and Bitsy Bat, School Star, which received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and BookPage. She created the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics book Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends, which received a starred review and is a Junior Library Guild selection, and the Level 1 Ready-to-Reads Cat vs. Vac and Go! Go! Dino!. Kaz is also the illustrator of Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea by Andrew Hacket and the author of When You Love a Book, illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee. When she’s not writing or illustrating books, Kaz teaches illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and enjoys making deep-dish pizza. Kaz lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, two children, and Boston terrier. Visit her at WindnessBooks.com.

Kaz Windness is the author-illustrator of picture books Swim, Jim! and Bitsy Bat, School Star, which received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and BookPage. She created the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics book Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends, which received a starred review and is a Junior Library Guild selection, and the Level 1 Ready-to-Reads Cat vs. Vac and Go! Go! Dino!. Kaz is also the illustrator of Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea by Andrew Hacket and the author of When You Love a Book, illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee. When she’s not writing or illustrating books, Kaz teaches illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design and enjoys making deep-dish pizza. Kaz lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, two children, and Boston terrier. Visit her at WindnessBooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

"Worm learns along with readers that love is not a surface-level emotion and that true connections bind us deeply to each other. The art is joyful, colorful, and expressive, with emotions reading perfectly on the cartoon insect faces. Overall, it’s a appealing read with a message of acceptance that caregivers will be able to easily apply to real life.

Warm and delightful, this tale will stay with readers long after they turn the last page." KIRKUS: STARRED REVIEW

11/1/22

01/20/2023

PreS-Gr 2—Windness's comic for young readers explores the nature of evolving relationships with gentle humor. The titular earth-bound friends carry out a simple, flowing conversation as they idyll through a fall day. Worm assumes they understand a static set of facts about their friend, and Caterpillar patiently and deliberately challenges their assumptions. Worm tries to discuss the similarities between themself and Caterpillar, like their lack of legs (Caterpillar has legs!), their dirt-based diet (wrong again!), and their mutual fear of birds (this one's true!). But while Worm clings to the present moment, Caterpillar carefully tries to prepare them for the future, since caterpillars, of course, must change in a rather dramatic fashion. Though the direction of the plot is well-worn—a caterpillar becomes a butterfly—the emotional interplay between a friend seeking surface similarities and a friend nourishing a deep connection is subtle and satisfying. What sets this title apart from similar tales of animal amity are Windness's full-page watercolor backdrops, deep and rich with purple, green, and orange, conjuring a magical, fading fall twilight. Windness also brings a buzzing energy to her characters, with raised eyebrows and body language between the pair doing as much work as words. VERDICT A straightforward, satisfying treatise on friendship weathering difference and change, with richly colored, lively illustrations, this title offers a lovely, light reading experience for early readers.—Emilia Packard

School Library Journal

★ 2022-10-12
Besties Worm and Caterpillar share lessons on friendship in this graphic novel for early readers.

While pink and purple Worm tends to notice what the two pals have in common, green and orange Caterpillar is fast to point out that they’re not the same. They may both be afraid of birds, but Caterpillar loves leaves while Worm eats dirt. Worm crawls on their belly, but Caterpillar has legs (16 of them!). Keen readers will understand quickly why Caterpillar is concerned—Worm says they’re best friends “because we are the same!” and Caterpillar knows that things are bound to change. In fact, as Caterpillar spins their chrysalis, Worm is already worrying about their altered buddy. And by the time Caterpillar is ready to emerge, they fret that Worm may no longer like them. When Caterpillar (now Butterfly) pops out, Worm is initially afraid, but with care and trust, Worm is able to accept and love Butterfly for who they’ve always been. Worm learns along with readers that love is not a surface-level emotion and that true connections bind us deeply to each other. The art is joyful, colorful, and expressive, with emotions reading perfectly on the cartoon insects' faces. Overall, it’s an appealing read with a message of acceptance that caregivers will be able to easily apply to real life.

Warm and delightful, this tale will stay with readers long after they turn the last page. (Graphic early reader. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews