The Word Eater

March 21, 2005
A worm whose appetite runs to words rather than dirt is discovered by a sixth-grader, who realizes that every time the worm eats a word, the object it signifies disappears forever. "This first novel will appeal to bookworms," according to PW
. Ages 8-12.

April 3, 2000
This first novel may hold some appeal for bookworms, but a multitude of subplots proves distracting and weakens the tension. There are two basic story lines. The first revolves around a newborn worm named Fip, whose appetite runs to words rather than dirt. The second centers on sixth-grader Lerner Chase, recently--and unhappily--transplanted from Wisconsin to Washington, D.C. Lerner discovers Fip and realizes that every time he eats a word, the object it signifies disappears forever. The results of Fip's consumption can be pleasant (Fip eats a vending machine number and unleashes free chocolate bars) or dire (Fip eats the name of a newly charted star, sending its discoverer into a crisis). These developments occasion secondary story lines (e.g., about a sinister tycoon who employs thumb tacks and child labor to train the vicious dogs he sells as "Attackaterriers"). Amato plausibly sketches Lerner's evolving sense of responsibility about Fip's powers, including her panic when he almost eats the word "oxygen" and the name of her teacher Mr. Droan (but ends up devouring the words "Markus Droan's suit" instead.) The classroom dynamics between the ruling elite, Most Powerful Ones on Earth (MPOOEs), and the outcasts, Sorry Losers Under Ground (SLUGs), are believable enough, but with the exception of Lerner, most characters emerge as caricatures or types. Ages 8-12.

October 1, 2000
Gr 4-6-The book opens with the turn of a page on the Bookworm's Desk Calendar, heralding the birth of a seemingly ordinary worm. But this is no common creature, for readers soon learn that he has a voracious appetite for the written word. It is sixth-grade Lerner Chanse who discovers that when Fip eats a word, that object disappears-forever. Lerner is having a hard time finding her place in her new school. She doesn't want any part of the MPOOE club (Most Powerful Ones on Earth), nor does she want to belong to the only other group-the SLUGS (Sorry Losers Under Ground). In a series of clever, if far-fetched events, she daringly uses Fip's power to turn the tide on the MPOOEs. Tongue-in-cheek wordplay in the quote on the desk calendar that opens each chapter prepares readers for the outlandish series of happenings to come.-Doris Gebel, Northport-East Northport Public Library, NY

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2000
Gr. 4-6. A hungry baby worm and a lonesome sixth-grade girl named Lerner join forces to create a surprising amount of havoc in this first novel. Fip the worm prefers paper to dirt, but Lerner quickly realizes that whatever Fip eats disappears. For instance, when he eats the words "vending machine," the machine disappears, leaving a pile of candy on the floor. This becomes a moral dilemma for Lerner, as the power to have things disappear can have weighty consequences. If the pace is choppy and the weaving of several side plots (including one involving child labor) becomes confusing, the basic idea is creative, and Amato delivers some intriguing moments. \plain\f2\fs17 (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2000, American Library Association.)