How to Eat Fried Worms

How to Eat Fried Worms

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65  ·  rating details  ·  20,158 ratings  ·  511 reviews
"Because of a bet, Billy is in the uncomfortable position of having to eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. A hilarious story that will revolt and delight bumptious, unreachable intermediate-grade boys and any other less particular mortals that read or listen to it.... Colorful, original writing in a much-needed comic vein."--Booklist.
Paperback, 128 pages
Published by Yearling (first published 1973)
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Nomi
Hilarious. This stands the test of time (except for the occasional "fink")
Swankivy
I read this with my sisters multiple times when I was a kid, and we even had silly inside jokes inspired by the book. It was a really excellent, quirky kids' book that balanced a fun premise with interesting characters.

So we have Billy, who has a history of doing what he's dared to do and beating other people at their own games when they say he won't be able to follow through. And we have Alan, who's willing to bet Billy fifty dollars that he won't eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. Billy wants...more
Katelan Mccullum
I can remember reading this book in elementary school. It was definitely one of my favorites and still is today! It is the classic story of feeling the pressure to do something someone else dares you to do. Rockwell's, "How to Eat Fried Worms," tells the story of a young boy, Billy and his "impossible" task to eat 15 worms in 15 days. Billy's two friends, Alan and Joe bet him $50 that he most certainly cannot eat the worms in the allowed time span. Feeling the pressure, Billy decides to take on...more
Chelsea Gail Smith
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell is a good transition book for young readers. The book has short chapters which makes it more of an easy read for students and keeps them interested. As an adult I think the concept of this book is a little silly. I think a child betting on something pretty gross is not a good teaching tool for children. But, it is a fun read and kids would definitely enjoy it. The story is about a young boy named Billy who makes a bet with his friends that he could eat 1...more
Linsay Piersawl
Thomas Rockwell packs this transitional book with descriptive and visual words. In the first chapter we are introduced to Tom, Billy, Joe, and Alan. The four are your typical mischievous third grade boys and come up with a crazy idea to bet on eating fifteen worms. In the second and third chapter, the boys come up with several ways to prepare themselves for victory. They argue and bicker on whether to use night crawlers and whether or not the best place to find them is under an apple orchid or i...more
Katie McGaha
Thomas Rockwell’s How to Eat Fried Worms is about a group of young boys who have made a bet. The book is about Bill and his two friends Alan and Joe. Billy is a normal kid with no money who wants a new motorbike and to earn the money for it his two friends bet $50 that he can’t eat 15 worms in 15 days. So on the day one of the bet Alan and Joe bring Billy a worm which has been boiled in mustard, horseradish and ketchup. Billy struggles to eat the first worm but manages to get it all down and sur...more
Callie Reichenbach
How To Eat Fried Worms is a book about boys being boys. The main character is a boy names Billy. Billy has two friends name Joe and Alan who bet him $50 that in 15 days he couldn’t eat 15 worms. Billy really wants a new motorbike, so he accepts the challenge presented by his friends. On day one, Joe and Alan present the first worm, which is boiled in horseradish, ketchup, mustard, etc. Billy barely gets it down, and it is just day one! Worm and worm in the following days are equally as disgustin...more
sj
Originally posted here as part of the 30 Day Book Challenge.

Wow, who knew this question would be so difficult? I remember lots of books I read when I was a kid, but I think this was the first chapter book I read on my own.

The First Novel I Remember Reading

I had no idea they'd made a movie of this book! I am kind of afraid to watch it.

Man, 6 year old sj LOVED this book. To this day, every time I see a mini-bike, I think of this chanty song:

Trout, Salmon, flounder, perch,
I'll ride my minibike in
...more
Chelsie Morrison
When I walk into elementary libraries, I am very excited to see books I remember reading as a child. Even before reading this novel this week, I could still tell you almost everything that happened in the book!

How To Eat Fried Worms tells the story of four boys and one very nasty bet. Billy, the main character in the novel, has two friends (Alan and Joe) that bet him $50 that he cannot eat 15 worms in 15 days. Billy accepts the bet in hopes of getting the money to buy a new motorbike! The boys...more
Alana
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell is a very humorous story about a group of young boys and a dare. Billy dares that he can eat fifteen worms in fifteen days, and if he does, Alan will pay him $50 out of his savings account that he has earned. Billy is enticed by this offer because with $50, he could buy a minibike. Once the bet was on, Alan and Tom would pick the worms and Billy could eat them any way he wanted; this included anything and everything from ketchup and mustard, to rolled in...more
Jessica
I enjoyed this humorous tale of young fifth grade boys who will go to extreme lengths to prove they are not a "wuss," and to win a bet that is proposed by a group of close friends. In this story, a fifth grader named Billy bets that he can eat 15 worms, one per day, for fifteen days, if his friend, Alan agrees to pay him fifty dollars. Billy's friend Tom is hoping that Billy is successful and supports him the whole time, while Alan has a sidekick, Joe, who wants nothing more than to help Alan tr...more
Charles David
Let’s talk about the book that changed the way I eat, Thomas Rockwell’s 1973 How to Eat Fried Worms. Forget munching on mud pies, everyone, let’s nibble some nutritious night crawlers!

Mr. Rockwell’s story is about a boy named Billy who has agreed to a bet to eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. Not an easy task, unless you’re a bird or fish. But the stakes make it worthwhile to Billy. Fifty bucks is on the line and Billy wants to buy a mini-bike. If he wins the bet, the bike is his. So he asks his...more
Shaun Kellogg
Ingredients: 50 whole dollar bills, 15 ripe earthworms, 4 young boys, 1 disgusting dare

Combine all ingredients into a small book, carefully mix with witty dialogue, stir in unforgettable characters, add a dash of nausea, a pinch of mischief and generously sprinkle with humorous chapters. Let stand for fifteen days, remove from bookshelf and enjoy in large helpings.


How to Eat Fried Worms is a recipe for fun, laughter and possibly an upset stomach. However, it is sure to please even the pickiest o...more
Lisa
I read this to the second graders. I think it was more enjoyable to them because they remember our awesome Principal actually eating fried worms last spring when the kids met their reading contest goal. That was quite a memorable event.

It was also a good experience for many of the kids to realize just how much Hollywood can change a story. I have liked this book since I was a child, but did not care for the movie at all.

The book does not have the theme of bullying and in my opinon it was a mista...more
Dave
This is a true American classic, a great children's book from the 1970's. I first read it when I was a fourth grader back in 1976. The premise is a bet to eat 15 worms in 15 days. I was initially repulsed at the idea of eating worms but inspired by the idea of winning the fifty dollar bet to buy a mini-bike. In fact, later that summer I did yard work to earn the money for my first "mini-bike" a 1974 Honda CT 70.
Eating worms was just too gross.
This book has a history of being placed on the banned...more
Severiano Garcia
Severiano Garcia book review #1
Do you like to eat fried worms? I don’t think so, but these boys sure do. In a not so interesting part of town a group of boys lack the feeling of excitement and fun, so they dare one of their friends, Andy, to eat fifteen fried worms for fifty dollars. Andy enthusiastically accepts the challenge, but when he eats the first worm he doesn’t think he will finish them. He then realizes that he cant give up or he will have to pay fifty dollars and he cant afford it so...more
DeAnne
My six-year old LOVED this book...as boys do seem fascinated by icky things. Despite the fact that I've had to make various worm inspired dishes because of this book, (not with real worms, mind you) I think that this book has some valuable lessons, as well as an interesting peek at the social dynamic of boys.

Precis: When four friends, Billy, Tom, Alan, and Joe meet one day to discuss why Tom failed to join the others in a trespassing incident, they learn that he was kept indoors for not eating...more
LLash
TRANSITIONAL SELECTION

"How to Eat Friend Worms" by Thomas Rockwell is a gross book to read, in my opinion. However, putting myself in the mind of a younger reader, I could see why kids find this book so enjoyable to read and humorous. This book is about a boy who is dared to eat 15 worms in 15 days. . . for 50 dollars! Billy, the boy who is dared by Alan, decides to pursue this bet and eat all 15 worms. Throughout the book, there comes some struggles, but indeed Billy does eat all 15 worms in 15...more
Mannie
Being a new Kid in school can have its ups and downs.For Billy it was Downs. How to eat fried worms by Thomas B. Billy the new kid, with in the fist five days of school he has already earned a new name " worm boy" and has made a bet with the school bully Joe on eating 15 worms in 15 days for fifty dollars. Now i know this sounds disgusting but many people would do just about anything for money. Billy goes on with the bet. Slowly billy gains the crowds attention by actually eating the worms. But...more
Matt Smith
Transitional Book
In this funny story for kids, a kid named Billy is dared to eat 15 worms in 15 days. his prize is two of his friends giving him $50 so he can buy a mini bike. If he cannot finish the dare, he must give his two friends $50 each. Throughout his 15 days, his two friends try everything they can to keep Billy from finishing the worms. They glue two together to make it harder, they send a fake note acting like his doctor telling him to stop eating them, and they even lock him in a clo...more
Robert
I recall reading this as a student. It would have been a new book at that time. The thing that struck me was the length of the chapters. Some were just a paragraph in length. For some reason that fascinated me.

I have read this with some of my reading groups over the years. More recently I have shunned it, however. Despite the 3.5 reading level, I find this a difficult read with students. I think the amount of dialogue used is confusing for readers. I also recall that the last time I read this st...more
Annalisa
This is a great book for boys. It was particularly enjoyed in our home since my son and one of the main characters is named "Billy". My daughters were thoroughly grossed out and my son loved all of the antics of the boys.

Amazon.com Review:
How to Eat Fried Worms has happily repulsed children since its original publication in 1973. Now youngsters can experience this classic story in a whole new yucky way, by listening to it on audiocassette. Narrator Jay O. Sanders gives extra kick and vitality t...more
Kirei
This is a great book. It all starts with a bet over whether Billy can eat fifteen worms in fifteen days--one worm a day. It turns into a mini Lord of the Flies with his opponents (Alan and Joe) doing whatever they can to win. Lots of twists and turns here!
Also lots to chew on--would you cheat to win a bet? How far would you go to win a bet? Should the parents get involved or stay out of it? What would YOU do for fifty dollars? (Since this was written in 1973, I imagine it would be more like $15...more
crayolaab
After a discussion at work about this book I realized I didn't remember anything about it, although I am sure I read it several times as a child. It only took about 20 minutes to read, and it was just as fun as I remember. I know I had forgotten all of the details about the ways to prepare the worms and the specific terms of the bet, and I had also forgotten some of the ways that the boys tried to sabotage Billy so they wouldn't lose the bet.

One thing I really liked about the book was that it s...more
Tom
one time, when i was in elementary school, i saw a kid eat a fried worm.

we had just read the book, in some little class they had us gathered in, and once it was done they sent us outside so we could jaunt around and form groups that would ridicule one another, with squealed taunts and frequent displays of running away.

there was a paved area, just outside the doors that sheltered the wooden cubbies that held our coats and boots. it had been a wet night. some unlucky annelid had squirmed its way o...more
Emily
Overall Rating: What little boy could find fault with a book about winning a bet by eating worms? How to Eat Fried Worms is full of all kinds of hilarious (and super gross!) antics with boys being boys! Billy thinks he can eat those 15 worms in 15 days and win $50! Will he be able to do it? The boys become very imaginative in so many ways! They team up—two on two—one side coming up with magnificent ways to prepare the worms so they’re more edible: boiled or fried and topped with ketchup, mustard...more
Dan
Maybe it's the books I'm choosing, but I've noticed an evolution of middle grade novels. Earlier books tend to just tell a funny or interesting story while newer books do that while teaching an implicit lesson in which the characters learn and grow and end up being better for having gone through their experiences. This is one of the older style of books. The kids go through an interesting series of events which are funny and have an exciting climax, conclusion, and humorous epilogue. But they do...more
Denise
In this book, there were four boys named John, Billy, Joe and Alan. One day, Billy started to bet that he could eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. So all of the agreed that if Billy eats all of the worms in fifteen days, Alan will give his friend Billy fifty dollars. On the first day, Billy acted really crazy. After the first day, Billy was starting to like the worm. On the very last day of eating the worms, Alan tricked Billy that the fifteenth worm were just beans, so Billy chased Alan all aro...more
Julie
How to Eat Fried Worms is a fun and laugh out loud book! I liked this book because of the unlimited outcomes that could happen. I was always kept on my toes! The book starts with a bet that Billy can't eat 15 worms in 15 days. If he can accomplish the bet, then he wins 50 dollars. I think children would love this book because it is a different storyline than most. It has funny moments! For example, Billy is allowed to do anything he wants to the worm before eating it, so he boils it and put diff...more
jacky
This book was alright. It had a good story about bullying and sticking by your friends, from what I remember. But the eating the worms was gross. So, its good for kids who like to read about gross things. :)
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How to Eat Fried Worms (Paperback)
How To Eat Fried Worms (Paperback)
How to Eat Fried Worms (Mass Market Paperback)
How To Eat Fried Worms (Red Apple)
How to Eat Fried Worms (Hardcover)

Thomas Rockwell (son of the American artist, Norman Rockwell) is the author of a number of books for young readers. He was the recipient of the Mark Twain Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Sequoyah Award for How to Eat Fried Worms, which was made into a TV movie in 1985 and was filmed as a theatrical release in 2006. He lives in Poughkeepsie, New York.

-Wikipedia
More about Thomas Rockwell...
How to Fight a Girl The Portmanteau Book How to Get Fabulously Rich Norman Rockwell: My Adventures As An Illustrator How to Eat Fried Worms, and Other Plays

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