Jonathan & Martha

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Jonathan and Martha are two lonely worms that live on opposite sides of a tree. One day, a big juicy pear lands on the ground between them. Before they know it, they are in a tangle, forced to share their lives together. But what will happen when these once-lonely worms are forced to separate?

Using his signature mix of eye-catching illustration and simple, easy narrative, Petr Horácek weaves together a story that captures the development of a life-long friendship between two unlikely worms. They fight, they have fun, they encounter danger, but most importantly, they do it all together and discover the importance of friendship.

Ages 2-5

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Horacek's artwork often draws comparisons to that of Eric Carle, and this story's bold collages, die-cuts, and ravenous animal protagonists are suggestive of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Jonathan and Martha, two worms who live on opposite sides of a tree, are both lonely-and hungry. When a marbled green pear drops from the tree, "Jonathan nibbled from the left. Martha nibbled from the right.... And this is how they met!" The worms scuffle, which results in their tails becoming inextricably entangled. Knotted together, they are forced to share everything ("They had no other choice. Jonathan and Martha had to stay together") from a giant watermelon to a cherry. Their fate takes a gruesome turn when a blue-black feathered bird pecks off their tails, separating their bodies, but they realize they're not quite ready to part ways-in fact, they're in love (still hungry, they split a picnic cupcake which serves as their wedding cake). Though sensitive readers might be disturbed by the worms' mutilation (good time for a lesson about worm regeneration) most will be drawn in by the growing affection between this pair. Ages 3-up. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

PreS-K-Two worms meet in the middle of a pear they've both been nibbling on. Their first instinct is to fight, and they get so entangled that they must stay together, learning to share. When a hungry bird nips off their tails and separates them, they realize they belong together now, and they share a wedding cake (a big cupcake) and live happily ever after. Cleverly told, this completely unmushy love story is just right for young children. The protagonists and the touch of gore when they lose their tails will appeal to kids' love of gross-out, while the celebration of sharing addresses romance on their level. A few pages include die-cut elements that will intrigue viewers while furthering the story. Horaek's typically bold watercolor and crayon illustrations are cheerful and appealing. A great choice for preschool storytimes on friendship, sharing, or Valentine's Day (or worms!).-Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Horn Book Review

Two lonely worms meet when eating the same pear; they become entangled--literally. After a bird pecks off their tangled tails, they realize how much they liked being together. The color scheme, milieu, bird's-eye view of the happenings, die-cut pages, flaps--Horacek owes quite a debt to The Very Hungry Caterpillar; what's missing is Eric Carle's masterful eye and ear. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.