Lowdown on Earthworms

By (author) Norma Dixon
Categories: Children's Nonfiction
Series: Up Close With Animals
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Hardcover : 9781550051148, 32 pages, April 2005

Table of contents

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: HUMBLE HEROES

Darwin's Heroes
No Earthworms, No Pyramids
Take a Field Trip

Chapter 2: EARTHWORM I. D.

Ring Around the Worms
An Earthworm? Not!
The Worm Family
Common Earthworms

Chapter 3: MAKE A WORMERY

Worm Watching
Please, Release Me!

Chapter 4: OUTSIDE BODY PARTS

Heads or Tails?
No Heads, No Tails
In the Skin of a Worm
Sensitive Cells
Darwin's Experiments
Worm Grunting

Chapter 5: INSIDE BODY PARTS

Brain and Nerves
Hearts and Blood
Diet and Digestion
Eating Habits
Moving Right Along

Chapter 6: LIFE IN THE BURROWS

Home is Where the Food Is
Burrow Facts
Life Cycle
Life Span
Enemies Above and Below

Chapter 7: A WORM'S WORLD

Earthworms At Work

Chapter 8: MAKE A WORM COMPOSTING BIN

The Worms
The Bin
The Bedding
Feeding the Worms
Harvesting the Compost

Glossary
References
Index

Finalist - 2006 Foreword Magazine BOTY Award
- Juvenile Non-Fiction category

Shortlisted for the Silver Birch Award

Red Cedar Book Award nominee 2007-2008

Finalist - 2007 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books
- Hands-on Science/Activity Book category

Animal Behavior Society's Outstanding Children's Book Award shortlist

Description

What has no eyes, but can see? No ears, but can hear? No legs, but can still travel quite easily? Give up? The answer’s an earthworm. You barely hear them, and rarely see them, but earthworms are among the most important creatures on the planet.

They may seem like just more creepy crawlies, but without earthworms working hard on our dirt, we’d have a very difficult time growing our flowers, our trees, and even our food.

Filled with interesting, easy-to-understand facts, Lowdown on Earthworms is the perfect introduction to these unsung heroes. From the myth that cutting a worm in half will create two worms, to their unique reproductive capabilities, all the need-to-know facts are here.

Author Norma Dixon also provides her readers with several projects and activities to better acquaint us with earthworms and all the great work they do. Children can make a worm-watching terrarium, a worm composter, and even a worm-listening device of their own.

First in a series of nature books that will include mollusks and flies.

Reviews

"A superb introduction to this largely unseen creature which plays such a vital role in improving the globe's soils. . . An excellent independent read or classroom resource.
Highly Recommended. "
CM Magazine

"An appealingly enthusiastic approach to biology that just about every reader will be able to participate in. "
Kirkus Reviews

"A useful addition to libraries. "
School Library Journal

"A fascinating look at an unsung hero of the planet - Kids aged five and up will love the photos. "
Today's Parent

"A quite interesting read. .. This is well written, clear, and well illustrated. "
Hi-Rise Newspaper

"Well-grounded in fact, and crawling with project ideas, this title takes youngsters in the footsteps of Charles Darwin. "
Star Phoenix, Saskatoon

"This book is a well-written, lively account of organisms burrowing through the underground. "
Science Books and Film magazine