They Didn't Teach This in Worm School!

A hungry chicken (who thinks he’s a flamingo) and a quick-thinking worm set off on a madcap adventure — and forge an unlikely friendship.

Marcus is a worm, and a bird named Laurence who looks very much like a chicken is about to eat him for breakfast. So what does Marcus do? He strikes up a conversation, of course! But even after talking his way out of being eaten, Marcus’s troubles are just beginning: soon he is clinging to Laurence’s neck as the designated navigator on an absurd journey to Kenya, where his feathered companion dreams of finding happiness with other flamingos like himself. Except Marcus can’t actually read a map, and this bird is clearly not a flamingo. Will Marcus be able to get them both to Africa — or even manage to survive the day? Filled with kid-friendly illustrations, this is a buddy comedy that will have readers wriggling with laughter.

Simone Lia is a graphic novelist and a comics artist, and her work has been exhibited across Europe, including at the Tate Britain. She lives and works in London.