I did not dig this book on worms. Or more specifically Mongolian Death Worms, as the title, The Very True Legend of the Mongolian Death Worms tells us. It is a bit cliché, and the “be friends with the odd-looking neighbors” has been done before. And the illustrations were so not my style; with the uncooked hotdog look, the fluffs of hair all over, bugged out eyes and teeth that are a lot sharper looking than “not so sharp.”
With that said, I know several people who will eat up this book coming out in November 2021. Especially if they like funny stories, stories about friendships, and not judging a book by its cover. The afterwards with the “True Story About the Legend” was a delightful addition.
The part I enjoyed of Sandra Fay’s picture book is the first list (oh, yes, there is a second list too I enjoyed, so the description lists are the part I liked) that starts off the book. Fay lists what Mongolian Death Worms are like (skin blood red, razor sharp fans, poisonous venom, electrical shocks) but when Mongolian Death Worm mom Beverly, dad Trevor and sons Neville and Kevin learn of this we get the real list of what they are like (soft, cuddly, pink like baloney color, no venom and only once did Kevin shock someone when it was extra dry). This humor sets the stage for the rest of the book.
As mentioned above, the afterwards with the story behind the real Mongolian death worms is given. This fact, fiction and fantasy element allows it to be accessible to all ages.