Hooray! It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday!
And it’s May! And it’s Spring!
And it’s time for us and all our littles to get outside and garden, and that means. . .
COMPOST! 😊 🪱
And of course, because we live in a world filled with amazing, creative, talented people, there is a picture book about composting, engagingly narrated by a worm who wants to make you a sandwich 😊
Are you ready?
Title: Worm Makes A Sandwich
Written & Illustrated By: Brianne Farley
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books For Young Readers (February 18, 2025)
Suitable For Ages: 3-7
Themes/Topics: composting, gardening
text and illustration copyright Brianne Farley 2025, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Opening:
“Excuse me! Hello!
Can I interest you in a sandwich?
I’d like to make you a sandwich,
all by myself
I know what you’re thinking.
You’re just a worm!
Worms are so little!
Worms don’t have hands!
They cannot make sandwiches.
But I can! I definitely can. I think.
I just need one thing.”
text and illustration copyright Brianne Farley 2025, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Brief Synopsis: [from the publisher] “Meet Worm. He might be little. He might have no hands. But Worm would love to make a sandwich, just for you!”
text and illustration copyright Brianne Farley 2025, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Links To Resources: The back of the book contains quite a bit of information about composting; maybe your family can try composting at home – it can be done in the city as well as the country; use your compost to grow herbs, vegetables, or flowers in your garden or right on your windowsill!
text and illustration copyright Brianne Farley 2025, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Why I Like This Book: So many reasons! 😊 I love Worm’s voice – his supreme self-confidence: “I’d like to make you a sandwich, all by myself!”, “I can! I definitely can!” – followed by the little aside: “I just need one thing.” He sounds just like a kid! He is so adorably eager. I love the humor – “We poop! Delicious, nutritious poop. I’m sorry, but the poop is not for your sandwich.” 😊 And Worm has lots of other helpful friends who make occasional comments. . . And I really love all the learning that takes place inside the fun story. So much information about what worms do, and how composting works and what it’s used for. The whole idea of a worm making you a sandwich is just so entertaining, and Worm is so delightful and ready to help that it’s easy to miss the fact that he doesn’t actually make a sandwich 😊 The art has so many fun details, and the back matter is loaded with lots of further information on composting. A great choice for young gardeners, sandwich enthusiasts, and worm lovers!
text and illustration copyright Brianne Farley 2025, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
What a brilliant, clever idea for a book! I can’t wait to read it!
It really is SO brilliant, Susan! I mean, it’s perfect to have a worm tell about composting, but then to also have the worm with such a believable kid voice, and all the humor – just great!
I must find this book! It looks hilarious – and I know the littles in my life will love it, too!
The whole idea really is hilarious, Patricia! It takes suspension of disbelief to a new level, because the worm really believes he is making the sandwich haha! 🙂
Right after I read your review, I headed to the website of my local indie & ordered it. Not only will my grandkids love it, but I think this will work as a mentor text or comp title for not one but two works in progress. Thank you!
Oh, fantastic, Patricia! I’m so glad the stars aligned!
How adorable! The kid voice and personality of the worm will surely be a hit. Can’t wait to read this one!
The worm is so engaging, Kim. So cute, and eager, and convinced he can do it, but then at the climax of the story, wondering why he ever thought he could it, and then ending… so well done!
Worm’s voice will make this so much fun to read, and we’ll learn about composting. Yay! Perfect book as I prep my spring garden!! I checked to make sure my library carries it — it does. 🙂 Can’t wait to read!
I embarrassed to admit that I know so little about composting, Judy – like, the actual practical how you do it details – that I am learning A LOT from this book! 🙂
Love this book. Having had a compost heap, I could be the worm telling her convulated but true tale! Both kids and their big people will love the antics of worm and learn about composting. This is one of those, “wished I’d written it books!” Great job with the delightful illustrations too, Brianne. Perfect 10 from me.
I totally agree about the “wish I’d written it,” Mona – it’s so clever and well done!
Yesterday I sent away a young man looking to ride my home and garden of all manner of insects. I asked him to look around and see if it looked like I was one of those people he was looking for! Love my “neighbors”! Love booms celebrating them and will definitely be checking this title out!
I know, right?! The ecosystem is a delicate balance – everything is necessary! I’m one of those rescue-bugs-in-the-house-and-put-them-gently-outside-in-a-safe-place people 🙂
Of course you are!
This book is right up my alley! Thanks!
I hope you will love it as much as I do, Angie! 🙂
I just requested it at my library! Can’t wait to read it.
This looks SO cute! And I really need a sandwich right now!
As long as it’s not made out of worm poop 🙂
I LOVE this worm!
I know! Isn’t he totally awesome?! 🙂
We compost, and this worm knows how to teach us all the how and why composting is beneficial. Love it!
Such a great premise for a picture book!
What a brilliant concept, superbly executed! I was so impatient to read this I just checked it out from my library on Libby. And it’s AMAZING! Thanks for the heads up, Susanna!
What a clever book – worm is so confident!
Such a fun way to teach composting. Worm is adorable!
Claire Freeland
This is such an entertaining way to “teach” composting! Worm is quite the “character”! I can’t wait to read this gem! 🪱
it is so great to hear the worm is the focus of the story. We rarely seem them even though they are so important. Thank you for sharing!😀
What a colorful, beautiful book that sneaks in a bit of learning too. Worm is adorable! The illustrations are bright and happy. And I’m still laughing at “We poop. Delicious, nutritious, poop!
Children will certainly love this book. What’s more fun than digging around in dirt and making mud pies… reading about a worm who poops. Destined to be a hit!
So clever!!