Learn the funny and fascinating story of Charles Darwin and the groundbreaking discoveries that resulted from his love of the humble worm in this hilarious, illustrated children’s book.

*2024 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List*
*2024 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice*
*2023 Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year*
*2023 Science Friday Best Science Book For Kids Selection*
*2023 Book Riot Must-Read Picture Book*
*2023 Amazon Top 20 Children’s Books of 2023: Ages 6-8*
*2023 Smithsonian Magazine Top 10 Children’s Books of 2023*

Charles Darwin is widely known for his Origin of Species book, yet Darwin had another great love, and that was for worms.

Told for the first time for children, this is the silly and fascinating true story of how Charles Darwin came to discover that the humble earthworm is the most important species on our planet.

Darwin suspected worms were special but his scientist friends laughed at him. In a quest to find out the worms’ special talent, Darwin played the bassoon to the worms to see if they could hear, laid out a picnic treasure hunt for them to see how well they could smell, among many other bizarre but entirely true experiments.

But so far Darwin didn’t find anything extra special about worms. Until, one day he realized that worms do have a superpower. They POOP! Without their life-sustaining, nutrient-rich poop, there would be no plants and no animals on earth. 

Darwin’s 40 years studying worms is still essential to our understanding of worms today, and ever since, scientists have taken him VERY seriously, and never again laughed at his love of worms. 

The story of Darwin and the worms not only centers around the perennially brilliant subject of poop, it:
 

• Teaches children about a key historic figure, the food cycle, and deductive scientific thinking.
• Is also a heartwarming story of the triumph of a zany underdog who won’t let bullies get in the way of his love for worms.
• Is told in a humorous and engaging way, with nonfiction information on each page to help educate alongside the story.
• Features charming and humorous full-color illustrations.

Curious minds will love this fact-filled, laugh-out-loud book.

Polly Owen is an author from Hertfordshire, England. She has a degree in Mathematics and Statistics and as a Maths teacher, she is a specialist in developing techniques to get reluctant children interested in Maths. She and her daughter are proud members of the Earthworm society and are both passionate organic gardeners.

Gwen Millward is an illustrator from Wales. Originally she had her heart set on becoming a Naturalist as she loved studying insects and drawing them. Her trips abroad when she was young are associated with finding new and strange looking creatures! After school she migrated north to Edinburgh to study art where she graduated with a First in illustration and was awarded the Helen A. Rose Bequest for art.

Gwen’s first picture book, Guess What I Found In Dragon Wood (text by Tim Knapman) was published by Puffin, as was The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis, and a collaboration with Jenny Nimmo, The Beasties, by Egmont. She has since published many more, including two about Bear and Bird which she has written herself.  Most recently, Gwen has illustrated Stories from Bug Garden (Candlewick), happily and neatly combining her love of art and insects.

Gwen is also the illustrator for the Charmseekers series by Amy Tree, published by Orion. She lives in Bristol, UK.