Who is that Lowly Worm?

 He wears a hat, a sneaker, a tube with a collar for a shirt, a red bow tie, and a trouser. He stands upright and hops around on his one sneaker.  Lowly Worm drives an apple car and lives in Busytown.   He is a beloved character of author Richard Scarry and he made an appearance at a baby shower last weekend.  

 

Lowly Worm was one character on our Name the Character poster and he had many party-goers stumped.  

Lowly and his close friend Huckle Cat, along with many other anthropomorphic friends and neighbors in Busytown, teach children about everyday life in the very real adult world that bombards them with new experiences every day.  In a calm, no-nonsense manner, they bring order to an overwhelming world.  The world can be confusing and overwhelming to children, and Busytown helps them figure it out.  

In What Do People Do All Day, first published in 1968, detailed illustrations show the animals of Busytown at work, describing their occupations and activities.  Labels indicate the equipment used as they perform their jobs.  Building a house or a road, mailing or delivering a letter, growing crops, visiting the hospital – all everyday activities that may seem commonplace to adults. 

Pictured are the Richard Scarry books on my shelves.  Pig Will and Pig Won’t is one of my favorites.  It shows our friend Lowly on the cover and is a fun story that helped teach my daughters manners.  In all, Richard Scarry published over 300 books, starting in 1950 and continuing after his death in 1994.  

Richard Scarry knew that children needed the facts, simple and clear, and that is what he offered them.