(Reviewed with Earl & Worm: The Bad Idea and Other Stories and Earl & Worm: The Big Mess and Other Stories by Greg Pizzoli) When Earl E. Bird moves into the tree next door (The Bad Idea and Other Stories), Worm is not sure what to think of her new neighbor. He’s up at dawn, and he’s cheerful. “Worm was cranky. She did not like new things. And Earl was new.” Eventually, over glasses of sweet lemonade, the neighbors discover what they have in common: Neither likes to be alone. Thus begins a new Frog and Toad-esque friendship in a delightful trio of early reader books, each containing three stories. In The Bad Idea and Other Stories, Earl and Worm meet, make bad paint-color choices, and appreciate poetry. In The Big Mess and Other Stories, Earl and Worm learn that one person’s junk is another’s problem, contemplate what constitutes luck, and stay awake all night. In Snow Problem and Other Stories, Worm eagerly awaits wishing Earl a happy birthday, the friends fail to take a perfect selfie, and they cement their best-friend status. Charming pastel illustrations, clean layouts, and amiable humor make Earl & Worm a welcome addition to the early reader scene.