How to Eat

Fried
Worms

answer key

1
 Before Reading:
Prediction: Look at the cover and the illustrations
throughout the book. Make a prediction of what you
believe this book is about.

ANSWERS WILL VARY

After Chapter 1: The Bet

Point of View: From which point of view is the
chapter written?
a) First person
b) Third person
Which word(s) helped you determine the point of
view?

he, they, them, him

2
Reflect: "'Hey, Tom! Where were you last night?'"
Why wasn't Tom with his friends last night?
a) Tom's mother kept him in for not eating
his dinner.
b) Tom's mother would not allow him to miss
another tennis lesson.
c) Tom's mother was angry at him for stealing
Old Man Tator's peaches.

Reflect: "'I'll bet you fifty dollars you can't eat

fifteen worms.'" Who made the wager with Billy
about eating fifteen worms?
a) Alan
b) Joe
c) Tom

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"He slid his hand into his shirt and furtively squeezed
the side of his stomach."

furtively - done in a way that is intended to

escape notice

Reflect: What does Billy plan on buying with the

winnings from the bet?

The mini-bike George Cunningham's brother had

promised to sell him in September.

3
 After Chapter 2 + 3:
Connect: "'No. That's not fair.'" Do you agree with
Tom to not allow the boys to choose worms from a
manure pile? Why or why not?

ANSWERS WILL VARY

Read for Details: What three adjectives were used

to describe Joe in Chapter 2?

1) sly 3) a schemer

2) devious

Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative

language used in the following Chapter 2 excerpt.
hyperbole simile metaphor
alliteration personification onomatopoeia

"...they'd all gone to sleep in a heap with Billy in the

middle, as warm as an onion in a stew."

simile

4
Reflect: What did Billy do to prepare himself for
eating the worms?
a) Billy slept outside.
b) Billy exercised.
c) Billy took a nap.

Vocabulary: "Tom flung the door open; Alan

marched in carrying a covered silver platter in both
hands, Joe slouching along beside him with a napkin
over one arm, nodding and smiling obsequiously."
What does the word obsequiously most likely mean?
a) excessively eager to please or obey; in a
pleasing, obedient manner
b) in a way that conveys extreme annoyance or
displeasure
c) feeling bitter and unhappy because of
another's advantages, possessions, or luck

Infer: How did Billy react when the platter was

presented to him? Cite evidence to support your
answer.

horrified; appalled; shocked; "'Awrgh!' cried Billy

recoiling."

Predict: Do you predict Billy will eat the worms?

a) Sure.
b) No way.

5
 After Chapter 4: The First Worm
Reflect: "Billy stormed about the barn, kicking
barrels and posts, arguing." Why was Billy angry
when the first worm was revealed?

The first worm was a nightcrawler. Billy did not

consider a nightcrawler a worm.

Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative

language used in the following Chapter 4 excerpt.
hyperbole simile metaphor
alliteration personification onomatopoeia
"It was as big as a souvenir pencil from the Empire
State Building!"

simile

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"And then, opening his eyes, he grinned beatifically up
at Tom."

beatifically - expressing or radiating great

happiness and serenity

Which is not a synonym of beatifically?

a) cheerfully
b) delightedly
c) disappointedly
6
Read for Details: List four condiments Tom put on
the worm for Billy.

1) ketchup 3) horseradish

2) mustard; pepper 4) lemon juice; salt

Parts of Speech: "The door swung slowly open."

Which part of speech is slowly as used above?
a) adverb
b) conjunction
c) noun

Reread to Clarify: Describe Billy's reaction after

eating the worm.

Billy jumped up and acted erratically. He

flapped his arms and ran around. He seemed
pleased and out of control.

Cause and Effect: Fill in the cause.

Cause: The boys were frightened by Billy's

reaction after eating the first worm. They
were afraid Billy might attack them.

Effect: Alan and Joe quickly exited the barn.

7
 After Chapter 5 - 7:
Reflect: "'If he doesn't give up himself, I'll figure
something out.'" What did Joe suggest he will do if
Billy continues to eat the worms?
a) Find an extremely large nightcrawler.
b) Spike the next worm with pepper.
c) Cover the next worm in salt so it shrivels.

Vocabulary: "'Billy's awful stubborn. Even if it was

killing him, he might not give up.'"
What does the word stubborn most likely mean?
a) able to be persuaded or influenced
b) showing tolerance or mercy in dealing with
crime or misbehavior
c) unreasonably and obstructively
determined to persevere or prevail

Reread to Clarify: "'What's the matter?'"

According to Billy, what is the most difficult part
about eating the worm?
a) Chewing the slimy worm.
b) Just the thought of eating the worm.
c) How he feels after eating the worm.

Connect: "'Tomorrow I'll roll the crawler in cornmeal

and fry it. Like a trout.'" In your opinion, is Tom
being a good friend to Billy? Why or why not?

ANSWERS WILL VARY

8
 After Chapter 8 - 10:
Reread to Clarify: "'That's not fair. They can't act
like that anymore.'" What were Alan and Joe doing
each time Billy ate a bit of worm that was
frustrating Billy?
a) Leaning forward as if they expect Billy to
vomit.
b) Laughing and pointing their fingers at Billy.
c) Screaming and gagging in hopes that Billy
would vomit.

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"'Alfred, what's he done? You'll deracinate him. Has
he hauled down the American flag at school and eaten
it again?'"

deracinate - to remove somebody or something

from a natural environment, especially people
from their native culture

Reread to Clarify: "So Joe went on with his story..."

Why didn't Tom believe Joe and Alan's story?

Joe and Alan could stop themselves from

laughing while they told the story.

9
 After Chapter 11: Tom
Reflect: "Billy pushed the frying pan toward Tom."
Why did Billy want Tom to eat a piece of worm?

Tom told Billy eating worms is not going to hurt

him. Billy wanted Tom to take a bite of the worm
to prove it would not hurt him.

Word Meaning—Prefix: "'I didn't say sissy,' said

Tom uncomfortably."
Underline the base word and circle the prefix in:

What does the prefix mean? not; opposite of

In which word does the prefix 'un-' mean the same as

it does in 'uncomfortably':
a) uniform
b) underwear
c) unimaginable

Cause and Effect: Fill in the effect.

Cause: Tom sat on the overturned pail
waiting for the worm. Joe returned with the
cooked worm.

Effect: Tom jumped up and ran out of the

barn.

10
 After Chapter 12 - 14:
Reflect: "...he couldn't sleep, tossing and turning in
his rumpled bed." What was Alan most worried
about?
a) Having to pay Billy the fifty dollars.
b) Billy getting sick from eating too many
worms.
c) Tom telling Alan's parents about the bet he
made with Billy.

Vocabulary: "Tom was just scared. He's like that.

He eggs other people on, but he never wants to do
anything himself."
What does the word eggs most likely mean?
a) the hard-shelled oval object laid by hens and
other birds
b) to declare that something is not true or not
the case
c) to incite somebody to do something

Reflect: The author titled Chapter 14 "The Pain and

the Blood and the Gore." What is the meaning of the
chapter title?

Billy had a nightmare involving him in a butcher

shop then at a restaurant being served
enormous worms. Billy woke feeling pain and he
felt the possibility existed he might just be dying.

11
 After Chapter 15: 3:15 a.m.
Compare and Contrast: "'What kind of pain, Billy?'"
Compare and contrast how Billy's mother and Billy's
father felt about him eating worms.

Billy's mother was extremely concerned with

Billy's well-being. Billy's father is not concerned.
He does not think Billy is in any immediate
danger. Billy's father thinks his stomach may
hurt more from the excess mustard and ketchup
than from the worms.

Parts of Speech: "It was warm and cozy under the

covers after standing on the cold floor..."
Which part of speech is cozy as used above?
a) adjective
b) interjection
c) verb

Connect: How would your parent(s) or guardian(s)

act if you told them you consumed five worms?

ANSWERS WILL VARY

12
 After Chapter 16 - 19:
Reflect: "Billy gulped it triumphantly, serene,
untroubled." Why was Billy untroubled as he ate the
sixth worm?

Billy overheard his father's conversation with

Poison Control. Billy knows the worms have "no
long-range ill effects."

Vocabulary: "Billy at it offhand, sideways, reading a

comic book. Alan and Joe squatted glumly in the barn
door, watching him."
What does the word glumly most likely mean?
a) friendly, kind, or good-natured
b) quietly melancholic or miserable
c) not bothered, uneasy, or distracted by
something

Infer: "...Tom's head appeared in the corner of the

grimy window." How is Billy treating Tom after Tom
ran out of the barn without eating the worm? Cite
evidence to support your answer.

Billy is dismissive of Tom. "'Hi,' said Tom, popping

up from behind a barrel. 'Pffffffft!' said Billy
disdainfully and walked on."

13
Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.
words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"Outside, Tom lurked sheepishly in the bushes behind
the stone wall, peering at the barn."

sheepishly - showing embarrassment as a result

of having done something awkward or wrong

Which is not a synonym of sheepishly?

a) awkward
b) confidently
c) guiltily

Reflect: "'You bunch of lousy cheats!'" How did

Alan and Joe try to cheat Billy?

The boys glued two worms together to make one

enormous worm.

Connect: "'It's still cheating!'" Do you agree with

Billy that he should win the bet because Alan and
Joe tried to cheat him? Why or why not?

ANSWERS WILL VARY

14
 After Chapter 20: Billy's Mother
Reread to Clarify: "'Oh, hello, Alan, Joe.'" Why did
Alan and Joe come to Billy's house?

The boys wanted Mrs. Forester to know Billy is

eating worms, in hopes she would make him stop.

Vocabulary: "'They're big worms, Mrs. Forrester,'

said Joe, looking virtuous. 'We won't lie to you. My
mother told me never to tell a lie.'"
What does the word virtuous most likely mean?
a) showing moral goodness or
righteousness
b) bad-tempered or sullen
c) disagreeable or discourteous in manner or
action

Reread to Clarify: What did Alan and Joe ask of

Mrs. Forester after she spoke with Dr. McGrath?

To make sure Billy eats the next two worms.

They asked her to act as a referee.

Connect: Do you think the visit to Billy's house

went as planned for Alan and Joe? Why?

No way. The boys wanted Mrs. Forester to end

the bet by telling Billy he cannot eat any more
worms.

15
 After Chapter 21 - 22:
Reflect: Who suggested using a recipe from the
French cookbook to prepare the tenth worm?
a) Billy's father
b) Billy's mother
c) Emily
Vocabulary: "He took a cookbook from the shelf
under the spice rack. 'Let's see. Mastering the Art of
French Cooking.' He leafed through the cookbook."
What does the word leafed most likely mean?
a) the foliage of a plant or tree
b) to eat something quickly and hungrily
c) to turn over pages especially to skim
Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative
language used in the following Chapter 22 excerpt.
hyperbole simile metaphor
alliteration personification onomatopoeia
"'Snug as a bug in a rug.'"

simile

Cause and Effect: Fill in the cause.

Cause: The rules of the bet state that
Billy must be the one to eat all the worm.
"Billy has to eat every bit himself."
Effect: Billy's mother would not allow Billy's
father to taste the worm meal she concocted
for Billy.
16
 After Chapter 23 - 25:
Reread to Clarify: What is Joe and Alan's new
plan to trick Billy to win the bet?

The boys are going to take Billy to a baseball

game and stuff him full of food. They plan on
Billy falling asleep on the way home and not
eating a worm.

Parts of Speech: "'Shhh,' whispered Alan to his

father. 'Billy's asleep.'"
Which part of speech is Shhh as used above?
a) adverb
b) interjection
c) preposition

Infer: "In the back seat of the car Joe and Alan
wrestled gleefully." Why were the boys joyful when
they dropped a sleeping Billy off after the baseball
game?

Billy was asleep so he could not eat a worm.

They believed they won the bet.

Predict: Do you think Billy will find a way to eat a

worm before midnight?
a) Sure.
b) No way.

17
 After Chapter 26: Guadalcanal
Reflect: "'Is this part of winning the bet?'" Who
reminded Billy of the bet?
a) his mother
b) his father
c) Tom

Reflect: "'I'll bet Tom wasn't sick at all.'" Why didn't

Tom go to the baseball game with the boys?

Joe and Alan did not want Tom to go to the

baseball game because they wanted to be sure
Tom had no chance to remind Billy that he had
to eat a worm before midnight.

Read for Details: "'I got one!'" Who found the

thirteenth worm?
a) Billy
b) Pete
c) Tom

Cause and Effect: Fill in the cause.

Cause: There is no time to get condiments

to cover the worm in. Billy has limited time
to eat the worm.

Effect: Billy has to eat the worm raw.

18
 After Chapter 27 - 28:
Infer: How did Alan's father feel after learning
about the bet from the scene Billy, Tom, and Pete
created outside his home at midnight?
a) amused; delighted
b) furious; irate
c) uninterested; unconcerned

Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative

language used in the following Chapter 27 excerpt.
hyperbole simile metaphor
alliteration personification onomatopoeia
"He dropped to his knees; the siren wound slowly up to a
SCREECH!"

onomatopoeia

Reread to Clarify: What punishments did Alan

and Joe get for their attempt to trick Billy and win
the bet?

Alan and Joe had to apologize to the neighbors,

they cannot watch television or have desert for
one month, and their allowances have been
taken away for two weeks.

19
 After Chapter 29 - 30:
Reread to Clarify: "'Now we know it's got something
to do with this bet Alan and Billy made..." What did
the boys' fathers do after the four boys got in a fight?

The boys' father's made them sit down and talk

out the situation.

Figurative Language: Write the type of figurative

language used in the following Chapter 29 excerpt.
hyperbole simile metaphor
alliteration personification onomatopoeia
"'You couldn't lick a flea.'"

hyperbole

Read for Details: "'Okay. You win.'" Who admitted

defeat?
a) Alan
b) Billy
c) Joe

Predict: Do you think Joe and Alan are really

giving up on the bet?
a) Sure.
b) No way.

20
 After Chapter 31 - 33:
Infer: "'You and mom got a letter.'" How did Billy
feel after reading the letter? Cite evidence to
support your answer.

horrified; alarmed; "His hand trembling, Billy laid

the peanut-butter-and-fried worm sandwich
down on the table.

Reflect: "'So it fooled you, eh?'" How did Mr.

Forrester know the letter was a hoax?

Some of the words in the letter were not used

properly.

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"Billy staggered to the sink and feebly drew himself a
glass of water."

feebly - lacking physical or mental strength or

health

Which is not a synonym of feebly?

a) convincingly
b) sickly
c) weakly

21
 After Chapter 34 - 37:
Cause and Effect: Fill in the cause.

Cause: Billy burped and tasted beans, he

knew he did not eat a worm.

Effect: "'BEANS?!!?'" Billy knew the worm

Joe and Alan served him was made of beans.

Reflect: "'What the devil is going on in here?'" Why

did Mr. Forrester come to the barn?

Billy was locked in the closet and causing a

ruckus. Mr. Forrester heard the screaming and
banging.

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"'Now if we put him down the cistern.'"

cistern - an underground tank for storing

rainwater

Predict: "'Dad, if I don't eat what's left, I'll lose...'"

Do you think Billy will find a way to eat the final two
bites?
a) Sure.
b) No way.

22
 After Chapter 36 - 40:
Infer: Which best describes Billy's mood as he sat
alone in his room?
a) amused; glad
b) angry; annoyed
c) cool, calm, and collected

Reread to Clarify: "'Too glate!' Billy yelled, still

chewing. 'Too glate! I gwin!'" How did Billy get the
final worm?

Tom and Pete showed up at Billy's house with a

worm. Pete threw a brick to Billy. The brick was
attached to a basket containing the worm. Billy
quickly ate the worm, winning the bet.

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"They danced round and round and round, Pete
cavorting beside them."

cavorting - to behave in a physically lively and

uninhibited way

23
 After Chapter 41: Epilogue
Analyze: What is an epilogue?
a short chapter or section at the end of a
literary work, sometimes detailing the fate of its
characters

Reflect: "'Where's Alan? At the store?'" Why wasn't

Alan hanging out with his friends?

Alan has to work for six months to pay the

money back. (Chapter 34)

Vocabulary - Context Clues: Define the vocab.

words using context clues and/or a dictionary.
"Billy frowned. He opened his lunch bag."

frown - to show a facial expression of

displeasure or concentration by wrinkling the
brow
Which of the following faces is frowning?

a) b) c)

Reflect: What problem does Billy have as a result

of the bet?
a) Billy does not know how to ride a minibike.
b) Billy cannot stop eating worms.
c) Billy's new nickname is Worm Boy.
24
 After Finishing the Story:
Character Traits: Identify and describe one
character trait of either Billy or Joe.
 Use two pieces of evidence from the text to
support your answer.
 Circle your character trait and underline your
evidence from the story.

ANSWERS WILL VARY

25
Sequence of Events: Put the following events in
order from first to last using the numbers 1 – 13.
5_____ Billy has a nightmare about eating worms. He wakes his
parents to tell them about his stomachache. His father
calls poison control and learns Billy will be fine.
2_____ Alan and Joe serve Billy the first worm. With Tom's help,
Billy eats the worm then acts erratically.
11_____ Billy receives a hoax letter from Joe and Alan. Billy eats
the fifteenth worm and realizes it was a fake.
1_____ Alan bets Billy he cannot eat fifteen worms for fifteen
dollars. Billy accepts the bet.
9_____ Billy, Tom, and Pete find a worm just before midnight. They
make a spectacle in the street just before midnight as Billy
eats the thirteenth worm.
3_____ Tom fries a worm Billy. Joe and Alan try to talk Billy out of
eating the worm, but fail when they start laughing.
10_____ The four boys get into a fight. The boys' fathers sit them
down to talk. Joe admits defeat.
7_____ Alan and Joe come to Billy's house to speak with Billy's
mother. Billy's mother agrees to referee him eating the
next two worms.
12_____ Alan tackles Billy and locks him in the tool closet. Billy's
father arrives and sends Billy to his room. Billy is upset
because he only had two more bites to win the bet.
4_____ Billy tells Tom to eat a bite of the worm to prove it is safe.
Tom runs out of the barn.
6_____ Alan is worried he may lose fifty dollars. Alan and Joe
glue two worms together. Billy catches them trying to
cheat.
13_____ Tom and Pete toss a worm to Billy's bedroom window.
Billy eats the final worm. Billy wins the bet.
8_____ Billy's mother cooks the worms to Billy's liking. Joe and
Alan take Billy to a baseball game to trick him into losing
the bet.

26
Author’s Purpose: What was the author’s purpose
for writing ?
a) To persuade
b) To inform
c) To entertain

Rating: How many stars would you rate this book?

 1 being terrible and 5 being awesome.
 Be sure to color or shade your rating!

Connect: Would you be willing to make a wager

with Joe and Alan? Why or why not? Explain your
reasoning.

ANSWERS WILL VARY

27
 How to Eat Fried Worms
Word Jumble

What is worse than finding a worm

in your apple?

28
 How to Eat Fried Worms
Word Search
Y H Q P S I F C H S W C I K I
G H K O R R E R M F I R O F G
Y V Q I E O E R I S I O S C K
I J Y S T S O T T E B G O G A
Q H X O T W K E A K N N H L L
B J T N O R R N O E D D A T H
C Y O C L N V O I I H N S O J
C L R O P T C B M F F C M O T
R L M N M L S E F I F T E E N
A I O T I E N B E A N S G G G
W B N R A T O F M N O Z I U M
L F E O S V T J I O H K S Q S
E K Y L I P V K N Q A B A Z T
R X E K I B I N I M U Z A P I
M H O C M R E T T E L Q Q D D

ALAN FINKS
BEANS FRIENDS
BILLY JOE
CHEATERS LETTER
CISTERN MINIBIKE
CONDIMENTS MONEY
COOKBOOK PLOTTERS
CRAWLER POISON CONTROL
FIFTEEN TOM
FIGHT WORMS
29
Word Jumble Answers

minibike
Alan
fifteen
cheaters
finks
Billy
worms
friends
beans
crawler

Finding two worms

30