The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm - Large Print by Sam Baker (Paperback)

About the Book

A young girl named Petunia begins an adventure of a lifetime when she rescues a talking caterpillar named Herman. This short, heartwarming chapter book celebrates the magic of friendship and respect for life in its many forms.

Book Synopsis

A young girl named Petunia begins the adventure of a lifetime when she rescues a talking caterpillar named Herman. This short, heartwarming chapter book celebrates the magic of friendship and respect for life in its many forms.

Enjoy this lively and animistic tale of a motherless girl named Petunia who rescues and befriends a charming and talking caterpillar named Herman. As Herman 'worms' his way into the hearts of Petunia's family and friends, they learn to nurture and care for him. The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman reminds its readers about the transformative power of love, about the magic of unlikely friendships, and about respect for life in its many forms. An engaging chapter book for grades 2 through 5. This tale by first-time author Sam Baker will leave its readers wanting more.

Review Quotes

Posted by Literary Titan Ever seen a worm with two arms, two hands, and a smiling face? Herman the worm is a unique creature, and sadly, not many people are friendly towards this little guy. After scaring Ms. Walker so badly that she passes out and drives her car off the road, Herman is about to give up on humankind when he meets sweet Petunia and her father. The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm by Sam Baker follows an unlikely duo that comes up with all sorts of shenanigans and has lots of laughs.

This heartwarming story is absolutely wonderful. There are so many important messages in this book and life lessons that kids can learn from. Acceptance is the main message in this charming book. Many people try to get rid of Herman the moment they see him. Mr. and Mrs. James scream when Herman lands on their windshield, and they try whatever they can to get rid of him. Ms. Walker faints at the sight of Herman even though he smiles and waves, trying to look as friendly as possible. Only sweet and kind Petunia, who is not deterred by his appearance or strangeness, accepts him for who he is.

Another amazing message in this book is change. Change is inevitable and scary. For kids, this is a lesson that's learned the hard way. Herman goes through a big change, and this scares Petunia, her father, and their family friend, Emma. But it soon becomes clear that this is just a natural part of Herman's lifecycle.

The illustrations by Ann Hess in the book remind me of classic children's books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? The style is akin to realism using chalk or acrylic paints, and the grainy texture gives the pictures a more cartoony look. I like this style best when there is a lot of detail and focus on the subject of the illustration. A great example of this is the first illustration of Mr. Wilson, whose expression of admiration for his prize green tomato is very apparent in his raised eyebrows and pursed lips. I found it funny that Herman starts calling Emma's Daddy, "Daddy" because that is what Emma refers to him as.

The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm is a light-hearted and well-meaning book. There are many life lessons for kids to learn through reading about Herman and his adventures.

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I love this book! Herman shows me that I can do anything!

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Oh, what a lovely book! It is so sweet that a father wrote this for his young daughter and son. When the whole world is struggling to accept those different from ourselves and accept the parts of ourselves that we may see as different, this book shows the way. What more could we want in a bedtime story? I highly recommend this book for yourself and any children in your life. Five stars! Susanne Lucas