How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell Date of Publication: 1973 ISBN: 13 :978-0-440-42185-6 Number of Pages: 116

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Junior: Low/Average Intermediate: Low
GENRES: Humour/Realism
THEMES :  Coming of Age – Good versus Evil – Appearance versus Reality - Family

SUMMARY:
Billy Forrester is a boy who cannot refuse a bet; even one as absurd as eating fifteen worms in fifteen days to win 50 dollars. Fifty dollars is enough for a much desired minibike. He has his good friend Tom to support him and make sure that the boys who bet he couldn’t eat the worms, Alan and Joe, don’t sabotage his efforts. Billy resorts to doctoring the worms up with cornmeal, ketchup, mustard, sugar, lemon and horseradish in order to eat them. Alan and Joe find many ways to trick Billy, ranging from giving Billy a pretend worm made out of beans to stuffing him with food in the hopes he will be too full to eat his daily worm. Billy’s parents, at first aghast that their is devouring a worm a day, later assist him with his task.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...
- does not like to read
- enjoys humorous “gross” books
- likes books about the value of friends
- is curious and a risk taker

RELATED LINKS:
You can find comprehensive units on the novel at A unit on the book can be found at
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading/fried_worms_unit.htm , and the official movie site is located at
http://www.friedwormsmovie.com/