The classic children’s picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my choice for this week’s Perfect Picture Book Friday.
Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Author/Illustrator: Eric Carle Publisher: Scholastic Inc. 1969
Recommended Ages: 7 and under
Themes/Categories: insects, educational, nature
Opening/Synopsis:
In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.
One Sunday morning the warm sun came up and – pop! – out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar.
So starts this journey of the beginning of the life of a caterpillar as he makes or eats his way through the world around him. The clever formatting of the book will make it an instant hit with small children. The illustrative style of Eric Carle is fun and memorable. The use of learning ideas, such as counting, days of the week, as well as the metamorphosis of a butterfly makes this a fun learning resource.
Resources:
The Eric Carle Museum has some fantastic learning resources! Online as well as workshops for those in the area.
Discovery Kids Shop has a cool butterfly habitat you can grow and observe the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly.
Enchanted Learning has a page dedicated to the butterfly including activities and coloring pages to print.
kidsbutterfly.org has a whole website to learn about butterflies.
Animal Planet.com has a page dedicated to Butterflies and Moths at How Stuff Works. (This would be enjoyable for older children as well).
Scholastic.com has a video of Eric Carle creating his caterpillar.
Scholastic.com also has a lesson plan.
Why I like this book: I love the work of Eric Carle. It is brightly colored, which is always a plus with me, and it is engaging for the children. The simplicity of the text makes it easy for little ones to really understand and grasp what the book is saying. It is a great starter to a conversation and class about butterflies and their life span. This book was read many, many times at our house! Another great thing I found in my research is that it is also available in a pop up book . How fun!
Perfect Picture Book Fridays are a weekly blog event where participants review some of their favorite picture books. The posts are compiled on author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website. They are categorized by theme to help parents, educators and readers find the perfect picture book easily. To learn more, please visit Susanna’s site where you will find the complete PPBF’s library.
Joanna Marple 20/01/2012
Our school library copy of this book is really worn due to so much love! What a lot of wonderful resources too. I would love to go to the Eric Carle Museum. Have you been, Loni?
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Hi Joanna,
No I haven’t been, but would love to! It looks like a wonderful place.
Erik -This Kid Reviews Books 20/01/2012
Great pos! Great PPBF! I think I have seen him making his caterpillar at school in our library. I couldn’t believe how big it was! I always imagined it smaller!
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Hi Erik! Thanks! Yes, isn’t that cool?
Renee LaTulippe 20/01/2012
I gave the board book version to my kids at Christmas, and so far they just like putting their fingers in the holes and pointing at the caterpillar on each page. I am surprised, though, that they also point out the little egg on the big leaf…I didn’t think they’d notice such a detail, but they did. The Scholastic video is great – love seeing artists at work. 🙂
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
That’s great Renee! Yes, isn’t that video neat? I like videos like that also.
Susanna Leonard Hill 20/01/2012
Oh, I LOVE The Very Hungry Caterpillar (and so many others of Eric Carle’s!) Thanks for adding this wonderful book and all these great resources to our list. It’s funny how certain themes seem to pop up each week – there are a few nature ones this time around 🙂
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Yes, I noticed that too Susanna 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
Beth Stilborn 20/01/2012
This book is such a delight. I’m glad we get a mix of classics and new books in PPBF — and I’m VERY glad that The Very Hungry Caterpillar is still readily available.
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Yes, me too Beth!
Julie Hedlund 20/01/2012
Of course we can’t forget these amazing classics. My kids still love to hear this story at 6 and 9.
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Yes, some are just timeless aren’t they?
Patricia Tilton 20/01/2012
I have always loved this book. First I like teaching the idea of transformtion to children. I love the symbolism of butterflies. And, I’ve also used it to talk about death to young children. Beautiful selection.
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Thank you Patricia! I appreciate your comment.
Jennifer Young 20/01/2012
One of my favorites since childhood. Great choice & review Loni.
Natalie 20/01/2012
Of course! A true classic–and very deserving of its spot on The Perfect Picture Book Friday List. Great choice, Loni!
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
Thank you Natalie!
Barbara 20/01/2012
I love Eric Carle, especially his artwork! Thanks for all the resources.
Loni Edwards 20/01/2012
You’re welcome Barbara. Thank you for the comment!
Jennifer Rumberger 20/01/2012
I love this book. How great that it’s on the PPBF list now!
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Yes, Jennifer, I agree. It’s a classic!
Eric Van Raepenbusch 20/01/2012
Just read this book today to my 19 month old. I love that he tries to say “butterfly” at the end. Great review Loni!
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Oh that is so cool Eric! Thanks for stopping by!
patientdreamer 20/01/2012
Would you believe this book is sitting in our Scholastic Stand in my shop and I have browsed through it a couple of times. Lovely choice Loni, I like the clear design also.
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Thank you! 🙂
Stacy S. Jensen 21/01/2012
We don’t have this book, but do have a DVD of it. I enjoy Eric Carle books too.
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Oh I bet the DVD is a lot of fun to watch. Thanks for stopping by Stacy!
Pen and Ink 21/01/2012
I love the simplicity of the Hungry Catapiller ikkustrations, It wa sone of my kids’ favorites.
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Yes, me too!
Sally 21/01/2012
Love Eric Carle! Thanks for the resources. And, good luck in the 12 x 12 x 12 Challenge.
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Thank you Sally 🙂 1st month is done – Yay! 11 more to go!
Amy C 21/01/2012
LOVE this book – it’s such a classic.
Happy 2012 to you Loni!
Loni Edwards 21/01/2012
Hi Amy! Thanks! Same to you 🙂
Heather 22/01/2012
This was Ben’s all time favorite when he was wee. I think between the three boys we’ve gone through four copies, they’ve been loved so much! Great choice, Loni!
Loni Edwards 22/01/2012
Thanks Heather! Ben has great taste 🙂
Darshana Khiani 22/01/2012
The board book was staple in our house when my kids were babies. A wonderful book on many levels. (counting, caterpillars, days of the week, food)
Loni Edwards 22/01/2012
Thank you for your comment Darshana!
Vivian Kirkfield 23/01/2012
Thanks so much for selecting one of the older classics. I was beginning to think everyone was shying away from them.:) Although honestly, I am so grateful to be introduced to a new generation of what will one day be classics in kidlit.
I love Eric Carle and read this book to my kindergarten classes when it first came out!
I’ve been to the Butterfly Museum in Denver…it was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to everyone who hasn’t been…I know there are butterfly museums in many cities across the country. To have thousands of butterflies winging their way over your head…and some of them landing on your arm…it’s an awesome feeling!
Kathy Cannon Wiechman 24/01/2012
Read this book to my kids until it fell apart. Sweet memories.