The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle (1969), 13 pages

Audience: babies, toddlers

Format: Board book

Carle takes readers on a metamorphic journey from egg to butterfly in his timeless tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

But, my goodness … this caterpillar isn’t just hungry he’s ravenous! Eating his way through pears, plums, strawberries, oranges, (and literally the pages of the book) he continues to eat a strange diet of salami, swiss cheese, cherry pie, etc, but smartly makes his way through “one nice green leaf” before settling into his cocoon and becoming a beautiful butterfly. This story has been published in many formats, including board books and has become a childhood favorite for many generations. Now a timeless, classic tale loved by young children ... Carle's colorful collages and cutouts continue to delight readers everywhere.

Brimming with educational elements, this book can be used to teach counting, the days of the week, nutrition, and insect life cycles. Activity suggestions range from making paper butterflies to acting out the four stages of metamorphosis (egg, larva, cocoon, and butterfly) or ask children what their favorite foods are and re-read the story using those items. The possibilities are endless!

Reviewed by: Katharine Quinn, SJSU MLIS Student

If you liked this book, you may like: Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

Other books by this author: The Mixed-Up Chameleon, The Very Quiet Cricket, The Very Busy Spider, Papa Please Get the Moon for Me, and Little Cloud