Inside the Compost Bin by Melody Sumaoang Plan & Art by Rong Pham & Vinh Nguyen (2024) & Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular by Polly Owen & Gwen Millward (2023)

My kids love playing with the hundreds of worms in our compost bin. They also love to go on rescue missions after a rainstorm and save the worms from languishing (and dying!) on the sidewalks. So, when I came across “Darwin Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular” at Lake Forest Library, I immediately grabbed it. Turns out, Darwin was also quite interested in worms. During the 1800s, people thought worms were pests! Darwin did extensive research with worms and eventually uncovered their superpower - poop (casts)!! And that poop leads to healthy plants, which leads to healthy people! Many thanks to Darwin for shifting the reputation of worms and highlighting their true function and contributions to our healthy environment. 

The top three contributors to climate change are: China, the United States, and food waste. Want to take climate action? Compost! I love composting and my city drops an Earth Machine compost bin right in your driveway (upon purchase)! To quote Ina Garten, “How easy is that?!” This new picture book, “Inside the Compost Bin” by Melody Sumaoang Plan is a great way to learn the science of composting. The illustrations are stunning! This book is a must if you are considering compost, which I hope you do! 

Heart: I love raising empaths, but sometimes my kids’ worm-rescue-missions make us late to school, but if they are following in the path of Charles Darwin, can it really be that bad? :) 

Head: Do you run an Eco-friendly club? Do you teach science? Are you thinking about composting at home? These two books are for you! Some say fall is a great time to start composting. Am I trying to persuade you to compost? Yes. Yes, I am. Even Martha wants you to try it!