Jonathan & Martha

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%E2%80%94and 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%E2%80%94in 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%E2%80%93up. (Apr.)