Knowles, Jo. Ear Worm! Galia Bernstein, Illus. Picture Book. Candlewick, 01/2022. [32]pp. $17.99. 978-1-5362-0783-5. OUTSTANDING. GRADES PRE-3.
Little Worm cannot get a song out of his head, repeating “Shimmy, Shimmy, No Sashay” and Owl explains it is called an “ear worm.” Owl, Chipmunk, Rabbit, and Fox all have different ear worms, complete with dance moves, which listeners can repeat in this cumulative tale with a surprise ending. The text appears in a bold font with the song lyrics in a larger, hand-lettered font that moves and bends, helping children with letter awareness. The digitally created illustrations use a cartoon style, resembling gouache with ink outlines against white backgrounds, giving the feeling of an animated cartoon. Sure to be a hit at storytimes and at bedtime, libraries may find they need multiple copies of this charming story.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University, iSchool