The Worm Whisperer
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4.0 • 10 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
You've heard of Horse Whisperers and Dog Whisperers, but Ellis thinks he might be a Worm Whisperer!
Ellis Coffey loves animals. He spends so much time outdoors that sometimes he thinks he can talk with them. When he discovers a caterpillar that seems to follow his directions, he knows he has a chance to win the annual Woolly Worm race. The prize money is $1,000--exactly the amount of the deductible for his dad's back surgery. If Ellis is right and he can train his woolly worm to be the fastest in the county, he's sure can solve all his family's problems. But when you're trying to talk to insects, nothing is as simple as it seems.
From Betty Hicks, author of the Gym Shorts series for new readers, comes a story of friendship, family, and hidden talents that might be more useful than they first seemed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Being funny has earned Ellis the admiration of his classmates, but the fourth-grader's life is pretty serious at the moment. His injured father needs an operation that requires money his family doesn't have; his mother is working constantly; and Ellis is left to handle chores and help care for his father. Because Ellis's classmates count on him for comic relief, he doesn't share how hard his life is. A $1,000 prize for winning the Woolly Worm (aka caterpillar) race at an annual festival in Ellis's North Carolina town offers him a chance to solve his family's financial problems. Ellis's gentle ways with animals especially his new caterpillar, Tink are a particularly touching part of this empathic story. There are a few twists and turns, but Hicks (the Gym Shorts series) pulls the narrative threads together in a pleasing if perhaps too neat way. Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl) contributes cheerful b&w spot illustrations that bolster the value and comfort Ellis finds in family, friendship, and faith. Ages 8 12.
