The Very Hungry Caterpillar (book)

Before you even know my name, you might notice my bright, happy colors. I have pages filled with juicy red strawberries and yummy green pears. But the silliest thing about me is... I have little holes in my pages. They are just the right size for a tiny finger to poke through. Hello. I am the book, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. My pages are thick and strong so little hands can turn them over and over again. I love it when children trace the colorful pictures and peek through my little holes to see what is on the next page. It is like a fun game of hide-and-seek.

My friend Eric and His Painted Papers
A kind man with a big imagination made me. His name was Eric Carle. He did not just use crayons or markers. He painted big sheets of paper with swirls of blue, spots of yellow, and stripes of green. Then, he cut out shapes from these papers and glued them together to make all my pictures. He made a juicy red apple and a big green leaf just for my little caterpillar friend. He even used a hole puncher, which gave him the idea for my little caterpillar friend who eats right through my pages. Munch, munch, munch. I first opened my pages for children to read on June 3rd, 1969. Eric wanted me to be a book of hope for children everywhere.

A Tiny Caterpillar, A Big Journey
Inside me, you follow a tiny, very hungry caterpillar. He is so small at the beginning. Munch, munch, munch. He eats through an apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, and lots of other treats. You can count along with him and learn the days of the week. My favorite part is the surprise at the end. After eating so much, he snuggles up in a cozy little house. When he is ready, he pushes his way out and turns into a beautiful, colorful butterfly. I help show little ones that we all grow and change, and that can be a wonderful thing. Even though I am just a book, I hold a little bit of magic about growing up and becoming who you are meant to be.