Where is Lowly Worm?

Little kids have their favorite books-the ones they most always pick out when you sit down to read to them. It doesn't matter how many books they have. It's those certain ones you end up reading over and over again. And if you're tired and you try to skip a page or even a paragraph-they'll catch you. I know because I tried doing that a few times and every time I'd get caught-especially if it was a Richard Scarry book.
'Best Story Book Ever' was a favorite Scarry book on those nights before bedtime. Along with, "Is This the House of Mistress Mouse?"; "Chipmunk's Birthday Party"; "The Country Mouse and The City Mouse" and more, there was one particular story read so many times those pages are now worn and tattered. I could recite it today-word for word, from beginning to end without even opening the book. That particular story, 'Pierre Bear'-was read every single time we sat down to read.
And if we weren't reading books by Richard Scarry, we were absorbed in his fun, imaginative illustrations. Within those magical pages, scattered here and there, the artist cleverly hid a little worm dressed in a tiny green hat with a feather. The search for Lowly Worm became part of our nightly routine. No matter how many times they found him, the next night the search was on again with as much excitement as the night before. It was as if every search for Lowly was the first search ever.
There were other favorite books read those evenings while sitting on the couch. Most of them are now on shelves in a bookcase in the living room. You can tell which ones were favorites. They look tired after having been held; after having been turned upside down and used as tunnels for Matchbox cars or as houses for Weebles. Some have crayon scribbles in them which could have been the result of playing school or library. Some are taped together in certain spots.
They all await little hands to pick them up again-to be cuddled and read while sitting on the sofa. Lowly Worm is there too-on the same pages as he was years ago-wearing that same tiny green hat with a feather.

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