Marl and the Worm Bin: A Vermicomposting Adventure

 

cover of Marl and the Worm Bin a vermicomposting adventure story by Jacqueline Cooper. Marl worm wearing a maple leaf hat in front of a worm bin with the clay monarch tales logo on the top right corner

“In nature nothing exists alone.”
— Rachel Carson, Silent Spring (1962)

What happens inside a worm bin, and where does all that food come from?

Marl and the Worm Bin is an original picture book from the Monarch Tales series, following two young worms, Marl and Squish, as they explore their home and set out to discover where the food in their worm bin comes from.

Their search leads them through the strange and fascinating world of vermicomposting, where everyday food scraps become part of something entirely new.

Written and illustrated by Jacqueline Cooper, Marl and the Worm Bin combines storytelling with an introduction to worms, composting, decomposition, and the role worm bins can play in reducing food waste. The book uses mixed-media clay illustrations to bring Marl, Squish, and their worm bin world to life.

What Is Vermicomposting?

Vermicomposting is composting with worms. Inside a worm bin, composting worms help break down food scraps and other organic material, eventually producing nutrient-rich worm castings.

For children, a worm bin can also be a tiny ecosystem filled with things to discover. What can worms eat? What should stay out of the bin? Where do the scraps go? And what is happening beneath all those layers?

Marl and the Worm Bin introduces these ideas through Marl and Squish's adventure rather than simply explaining them as facts, making it a fun starting point for conversations about composting, soil, food waste, and the natural world. It is a picture book for young readers ages 3 to 8, and a natural fit for children interested in worms, gardening, composting, and getting their hands a little dirty.

Marl and the Worm Bin: A Vermicomposting Adventure is available from your favourite bookstore or ask for it at your local library.

A free Marl and the Worm Bin Educational Resource Guide is also available, with discussion questions and activities to help extend the story into the classroom or at home.

Looking for more information on vermicomposting, be sure to check out What is vermicomposting? How worms turn food scraps into compost

You can explore all of our current titles on our Books Page.

If you'd like to help share our works, visit our Libraries Page for circulation details and ISBNs.

Our books are available through major retailers including Chapters, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and Waterstones.

Location: Canada

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