The Best Books About Worms From Educational to Philosophical

Post-rain, you can typically spot worms wriggling around on the ground, some ruthlessly smashed by rain boots, because humans are often too busy to notice them. However, it’s worth deepening our understanding of the world around us. There’s magic in better understanding our ecosystems. In the text below, we highlight the some of the best books about worms. The first two are fantastic for educating yourself. The others take a different approach.

You may just be curious to learn about worms found throughout the world. Or you may be ready to take on natural composting and learn how to farm worms. You may even be looking for a worm book you can gift the teenager in your life! We put together a diverse, yet powerful list of books about worms for you to explore. Some of these books explore philosophical and theoretical concepts, inviting you to consider the interconnectedness of our ecosystems, including the reality of mortality we must all face sooner or later.

A-Z Animals Top Picks for Books About Worms

#1 Best Overall: The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms by Amy Stewart

The best overall book about worms is The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms by Amy Stewart.

This book is available in Kindle, audio, and hardcover formats. Although earthworms are quite small and literally spineless, they hold an important role in the ecosystem. They fight plant diseases and break up the soil. Earthworms clear out pollutants and transform regular dirt into fertile soil. If you’re looking for books about worms, you likely already know just how important these blind creatures are. This book takes you on a journey to explore all the different actions earthworms take. Further, Stewart writes in a very witty style that incorporates Charles Darwin’s very careful discoveries regarding these little writhing creatures.

You learn about the earthworms’ subterranean realm, and it feels like you’re a fly on the wall as she shares her conversations with oligochaetologists. You may already know what they do and if you don’t, they’re the ones who study earthworm science. They spend their lives exploring what we often miss beneath our feet. Throughout this book, you discover different types of worms. For example, you learn about the giant Australian worm that can grow up to 10 feet long. You also learn about some more common worms like the red wigglers that Stewart sees in her compost bin. Although worms often go unnoticed, Stewart invites you into their world to learn about just how vital they are on this ever-evolving planet. This book is comprehensive in that it covers everything from your own compost bin at home to what you may uncover in your garden and beyond into all the places where these underground creatures live.

Unfortunately, some customers reported that this book is too long and would have been better if the information in it had been more condensed.

Pros and Cons of The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms by Amy Stewart

Best Overall

The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms

• 204 pages.
• Covers the earthworm's impact on the ecosystem.
• Uses discoveries by Charles Darwin as inspiration.

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2. Best Guide: Worm Farming: The Practical Guide to This Unique Form of Natural Composting by Aaron “Worms” Jones

If you’re ready to pick up a book that guides you outside to start naturally composting, you need Worm Farming: The Practical Guide to This Unique Form of Natural Composting by Aaron “Worms” Jones.

Unless you’ve been composting all your life, you know how much food goes to waste. It goes into your trash bin, the trash service picks it up, and you never see it again. Landfills keep getting loaded and these actions affect our ecosystem. This book helps you work on the solution. It teaches you how to farm worms. This is especially helpful if you have a blooming garden of healthy plants and vegetables. Worm farming can even help you save money on all the other gardening tools you typically use.

This book is available in Kindle, paperback, and audio formats. This guide is fantastic because it answers questions that you may not even think to ask. Ultimately, you learn how it all works and how you can get started right away. It incorporates simple diagrams as well as fun quotes to keep the reader interested throughout. Some books are a bit vague but this one sort of holds your hand through the process. You realize after reading just how easy it is to start your own worm farm and how you can ensure success even without too much knowledge or effort. You also learn why farming worms is beneficial and then you learn more specifics about which types of worms may be best for your farm.

However, most people feel this book is best for starters and hobbyists. The say that it contains good information but lacks real depth.

Pros and Cons of Worm Farming: The Practical Guide to This Unique Form of Natural Composting by Aaron “Worms” Jones

Best Guide

Worm Farming: The Practical Guide to This Unique Form of Natural Composting

• 120 pages.
• Shows the benefits of a worm farm, what worms to choose for your farm, what can be fed to worms, and much more.
• Great for budding worm farmers.

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3. Best Faith-Based: The Crimson Worm by Lori Pagel

If you’re looking for a faith-based book about worms then we recommend The Crimson Worm by Lori Pagel.

This book takes a different approach to worms. It’s a faith-based book that you can pick up in a paperback format or you can download the Kindle version. In this text, you learn the difference between the two meanings of the word ‘worm’ in the Bible. One definition refers to the worms you see dwelling on the earth. The other is the crimson worm. This crimson worm is ultimately the story of Jesus and the boundless love he shared with the world.

Most people have no idea about the crimson worm or how it relates to the Bible. One customer calls it a simple, yet comprehensive review of the plan God created for humans on earth. It’s suitable for both children and adults. One customer says he didn’t agree with all of the content but it was informative enough to get him curious enough to follow through with further study of the crimson worm.

Pros and Cons of The Crimson Worm by Lori Pagel

Best Faith-Based

The Crimson Worm

• 34 pages.
• Discusses the two meanings of the word 'worm' in the Bible, and their significance to it.

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4. Most Philosophical: The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life by Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski

If you’re looking for a philosophical book about worms then we recommend The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life by Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski.

This philosophical book is a transformative read. It’s actually about human behavior and how it’s ruled by the unconscious fear of death most carry within. The book covers what American philosopher William James covered in his work: the knowledge that we must die being “the worm at the core” of the human condition. Basically, that means humans need to accept their mortality by confronting it. This is the only true way to live authentically. The book presents fascinating evidence on all the ways the worm at the core drives human thoughts and actions.

Although philosophical, this book delivers 25 years of in-depth research from three authors who work together to show you how the fear of death impacts the actions humans take. For example, some people crave fame and want to purchase expensive cars while others counterintuitively put their health at risk. This fear leads to some of the greatest art humans create and some of the most devastating wars we fight. They then go on to present terror management theory (TMT).

Unfortunately, some reviewers reported that this book was not as engaging as they had hoped it would be, with some parts being a little repetitive.

Pros and Cons of The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life by Sheldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski

Most Philosophical

The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life

• 263 pages.
• Covers the philosophy that the knowledge that we must die is "the worm at the core" of the human condition, dubbed by American philosopher, Willam James.

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5. Most Comprehensive: Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada by Lynn Frierson Faust

The most comprehensive book on the list is Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada by Lynn Frierson Faust.

This next book is a comprehensive guide that covers fireflies, glow worms, and lightning bugs. If you’re interested in any of these bugs, there’s so much for you to discover in this book. The author of this book is Lynn Frierson Faust, known as “The Lightning Bug Lady.” She has spent decades of her life focused on tracking the behavior and habitats of these glowing creatures.

Her aim is to inspire you to learn more about bioluminescent insects. She writes in an informative way but also incorporates a lot of fun into this work. You can expect some clear, close-up photos that illustrate the different characteristics of fireflies and glow worms. Also, the book includes over 600 color photographs and detailed pages on over 75 species.

Unfortunately, some reviewers reported that the book is a little repetitive in some places.

Pros and Cons of Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs: Identification and Natural History of the Fireflies of the Eastern and Central United States and Canada by Lynn Frierson Faust

Most Comprehensive

Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs

• 376 pages.
• Features over 600 color photographs, with details accounts of over 75 species.
• One of ten Reptiles Wormsloe Foundation nature books.

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The Different Types of Books About Worms

Some books about worms take you on a deep dive into the earth to discover their natural habitats. You learn about the different types of worms that exist throughout the world and about the role they take in our ecosystem. They often go ignored, but learning about them helps to inspire you to consider how worms contribute to your own life. Other books invite you to get even more acquainted with worms. We highlight a worm farming book that serves as a practical guide if you’re interested in natural composting. This takes your knowledge of worms to a whole new level because you start working with them and learning how to keep them contained as they keep your garden flourishing.

Still, there are other books about worms that incorporate worms but they’re not as educational as other varieties. If you are feeling like you need a faith-based lesson in your life, The Crimson Worm is a great book to pick up for yourself. Further, if your kids have shown interest in worms and you want to gift them with a book that makes them giggle with each page, check out the one for teens we highlight in the list above. Some books are more philosophical and theoretical, touching on the human experience. Ultimately, we return to the earth. You may be inclined to learn a bit more about the experience of death and how everything is interconnected.