The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Author and Illustrator: Eric Carle
Originally Published: 1969
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic in children’s literature. This is the book that Eric Carle, one of the most prolific authors and illustrators of our time, is best known for. The book has been translated into 62 languages and sold over 41 million copies worldwide.
I’m writing this review as if you’ve already read the book, because you probably have. If you haven’t seen this book in person yet, I highly recommend that you do because it’s such a great book. I’m sure you can find it at your local library or bookstore.
What is it about this story that makes it so universally appealing? Is it because it’s a counting story and little kids love to count? Is it because it involves food which everyone can relate to? I personally love the part where the caterpillar eats everything in sight… I can certainly relate to that! (And I love that the next day he only eats one leaf and feels better.) Or perhaps we love the story because it’s about a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. That metamorphosis being an analogy to all the ways humans must grow and change as well.
Kids love the counting part of the book. The book is very clever how it portrays this through expanding the actual size of the page as the number of fruits grow. I imagine this was one of the first kids’ books to alter the book material itself as a technique to help tell the story.
The artwork is exquisite. The colors are incredibly vivid. I was hooked on the first page with the nighttime hues and the smiley moon. Any one of the illustrations in this book is gallery worthy, and in fact, I have several of Eric Carle’s prints on the wall of my library. Carle’s work is simply gorgeous.
The book is recommended for ages 1 to 3. It’s a great gift idea for newborns and new parents. It’s also a great choice to read at the beginning of the preschool year.
Author and Illustrator: Eric Carle
Originally Published: 1969
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic in children’s literature. This is the book that Eric Carle, one of the most prolific authors and illustrators of our time, is best known for. The book has been translated into 62 languages and sold over 41 million copies worldwide.
I’m writing this review as if you’ve already read the book, because you probably have. If you haven’t seen this book in person yet, I highly recommend that you do because it’s such a great book. I’m sure you can find it at your local library or bookstore.
What is it about this story that makes it so universally appealing? Is it because it’s a counting story and little kids love to count? Is it because it involves food which everyone can relate to? I personally love the part where the caterpillar eats everything in sight… I can certainly relate to that! (And I love that the next day he only eats one leaf and feels better.) Or perhaps we love the story because it’s about a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. That metamorphosis being an analogy to all the ways humans must grow and change as well.
Kids love the counting part of the book. The book is very clever how it portrays this through expanding the actual size of the page as the number of fruits grow. I imagine this was one of the first kids’ books to alter the book material itself as a technique to help tell the story.
The artwork is exquisite. The colors are incredibly vivid. I was hooked on the first page with the nighttime hues and the smiley moon. Any one of the illustrations in this book is gallery worthy, and in fact, I have several of Eric Carle’s prints on the wall of my library. Carle’s work is simply gorgeous.
The book is recommended for ages 1 to 3. It’s a great gift idea for newborns and new parents. It’s also a great choice to read at the beginning of the preschool year.
Author and Illustrator: Eric Carle
Originally Published: 1969
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic in children’s literature. This is the book that Eric Carle, one of the most prolific authors and illustrators of our time, is best known for. The book has been translated into 62 languages and sold over 41 million copies worldwide.
I’m writing this review as if you’ve already read the book, because you probably have. If you haven’t seen this book in person yet, I highly recommend that you do because it’s such a great book. I’m sure you can find it at your local library or bookstore.
What is it about this story that makes it so universally appealing? Is it because it’s a counting story and little kids love to count? Is it because it involves food which everyone can relate to? I personally love the part where the caterpillar eats everything in sight… I can certainly relate to that! (And I love that the next day he only eats one leaf and feels better.) Or perhaps we love the story because it’s about a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. That metamorphosis being an analogy to all the ways humans must grow and change as well.
Kids love the counting part of the book. The book is very clever how it portrays this through expanding the actual size of the page as the number of fruits grow. I imagine this was one of the first kids’ books to alter the book material itself as a technique to help tell the story.
The artwork is exquisite. The colors are incredibly vivid. I was hooked on the first page with the nighttime hues and the smiley moon. Any one of the illustrations in this book is gallery worthy, and in fact, I have several of Eric Carle’s prints on the wall of my library. Carle’s work is simply gorgeous.
The book is recommended for ages 1 to 3. It’s a great gift idea for newborns and new parents. It’s also a great choice to read at the beginning of the preschool year.