The book’s educational merit is widely celebrated: readers follow a young caterpillar through the days of the week as he experiences the world for the first time. The interactive nature of the physical book allows children to engage in this exploration as well, poking through finger-sized holes in the pages and marveling at the stunning collage-like illustrations.
The story’s simplistic plot line can be deceiving—while short and sweet it still manages to deliver hopefulness by the handful. Carle’s subtle way of introducing children to life cycles, from the days of the week to the rising and setting of the sun, induce a sense of calmness and instill trust in the world’s processes. This soothing effect teaches children to lean into these periods of transition and have faith in their outcomes.
Eric Carle has shared that the inspiration for the story derived from a hole-punch, which instinctively made him think of a book worm, catapulting Carle to create the inspiring tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
We’ve all been won over by this classic story of metamorphosis and growth at one point in our lives, and it’s a treasure to be able to celebrate this much-loved staple of children’s literature. Pick up one of our totes, t-shirts, or enamel pins featuring Carle’s famous illustrations and commemorate this feat in the field of children’s literature!
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