Meet Petunia & Herman the Worm!
Herman is the biggest caterpillar anyone has ever seen. He has arms, hands, a big face, and he can even talk! But no one seems to want to be his friend.
It’s not until young Petunia befriends this charming caterpillar that others begin to see how special he is. Herman becomes a part of Petunia’s small family, his curiosity, never-ending hunger, and genuine innocence leading to many uplifting, laugh-out-loud moments.
Grown-ups and children alike will be able to connect with the powerful, positive messages in this award-winning chapter book. Written for anyone who has ever felt different, The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm teaches us through heart and hilarity the magic of unlikely friendships and the importance of respect and acceptance.
Make The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm one of your kid’s new favorite books.
“This is a sweet book with beautiful illustrations. It's perfect for the child who is learning to read short chapter
books. The illustrations are colorful and fun, so whimsical! It has a beautiful message. Highly recommended.“
— HPS Paige
Can’t wait for the paperback? Order the ebook for immediate download.
Here’s a Sneak Peek Inside
The Silly Adventures of Petunia & Herman the Worm
It was an exciting day for Mr. Wilson, who was carefully inspecting the tomato plants he had been growing. He was looking at one tomato growing on his plants. This greenish-yellow tomato was very, very big. It was the biggest tomato Mr. Wilson had ever grown and was on a plant that was on the very edge of the hill. Mr. Wilson carefully lifted the leaves of the tomato plant and looked at his prize tomato. His mouth began to feel as though he could taste how wonderful this tomato would be when it was ripe.
A life-long artist and native of Frederick, MD, Ann was born to talented parents who nurtured her artistic gifts by providing supplies, education and constant encouragement. Ann fondly remembers her mother taking her on multiple trips to the local library. So many children’s picture books – more than Ann’s little arms could carry!
Ann received her B.F.A. at Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU), with additional study at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), Hood College and Georgetown University. She has served as a PreK-12 art teacher in public and private schools, and has also enjoyed teaching adults with disabilities.
Ann’s paintings, public art projects, pet portraits, masks and photos have been widely displayed and are in collections across the U.S.; her illustrations have been published in books, posters and newsletters. She served as assistant curator of the local hospital’s Women’s Art Center Gallery for five years.
Sam Baker’s invitation to illustrate The Silly Adventures of Petunia and Herman the Worm gave her an entree into the wonderful world of children’s literature. Her artwork for the book won an Honorable Mention for the Royal Dragonfly Award in the 2018 Story Monster LLC Contest.
Ann lives with her husband Steve, an educator/musician/writer, the love of her life and father of her two adopted now-adult sons. She is eternally grateful for his support of all of her art projects, most recently as the model for Mr. Wilson – a character in the book.
Meet Ann Hess Illustrator
What Readers Are Saying
“Oh, what a lovely book! It is so sweet that a father wrote this for his young daughter and son. I got it for my granddaughters but have thoroughly enjoyed reading it myself. At a time when the whole world is struggling to accept those different than ourselves and to accept the parts of ourselves that we may see as different, this book shows us the way. What more could we want in a bedtime story. I highly recommend this book both for yourself and for any children in your life. Five stars!”
— Susan Lucas
“I love this book! Herman shows me that I can do anything. It is fun to read with my dad.“
“Great book to read out loud, very nice detail and characters.“
— Fernando
