Eric Carle and his Caterpillar were a feast for our senses
Eric Carle, the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other picture books, died on May 23 at the age of 91. Carle burst on the children’s literature scene in 1967 with the publication of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, a picture book that he co-created with Bill Martin, Jr. Two years later, Carle brought out The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and this book went on to become one of the best-selling picture books of all time. Over the course of his career, Carle created over 70 picture books, but he is most famous for his book about caterpillar with a voracious appetite.
My introduction to Carle’s picture books occurred in 1973 when I got a job working as a teacher in a daycare center in Vermont, not far from Carle’s home in Northampton, Massachusetts. The center had a book corner that included The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I spent many hours in this book corner reading picture books to children, and one of their favorites was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I remember how these children were intrigued with the holes in the pages where that the caterpillar had eaten through the various foods mentioned in the story. The children always tried to put their fingers through these holes, and they enjoyed the tactile experience of interacting with the book in this way.
About 25 years later, I had another memorable encounter with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. By this time, both Carle and I had set roots in North Carolina. He purchased a home in Blowing Rock where he and his wife spent their summers. I moved to Charlotte in 1984 and became a children’s literature professor at UNC Charlotte. In 1999 my son, Gavin, was a first-grade student at Dilworth Elementary School, and I volunteered to read aloud to his class each week. I read in the afternoon, and the children had a snack afterwards. One day I decided to combine these two activities. I read Bruce Degen’s Jamberry, and then I provided the children with paper cups full of the various berries included in the book. My experiment was a big hit, so I told Gavin’s teacher that I would repeat it, but this time I would work around The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The next week I headed off to the grocery store to buy all of the foods that the caterpillar consumes. This shopping excursion started off just fine. I went to the produce section and selected one apple, two pears, three plums, four strawberries, and five oranges. Then I went in search of the ten other items the caterpillar eats, including a cake, pickles, Swiss cheese, salami, and a cherry pie. With my grocery cart nearly full, I proceeded to the check-out lane where I gulped when the cashier told me how much money I owed. A few hours later, I showed up in Gavin’s class with a platter of food and Carle’s book. Once I finished reading the book aloud, I took the aluminum foil off the platter, and the kids, several teachers, and I had a great time tasting the items on this unique smorgasbord.
In reflecting on my memories of sharing Carle’s picture books with children, I am impressed with how his books relate to the senses. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is all about sight. His book Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do you Hear? is all about hearing. The Very Hungry Caterpillar evokes the sense of taste, and the holes in the pages encourage children to respond in a tactile manner. In fact, Carle’s collage style of illustration celebrates both color and texture. His picture books awaken the senses and invite interactive responses. Carle’s picture books are designed to be experienced, not just read, and that is one of the reasons why his books are so special.