One Sunday morning a little caterpillar hatches from an egg and begins eating his way through the week. The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is one of my favorite books, one of my daughter's favorite books, and our favorite picture book author. Besides the fact that this book, like many of Carle's teaches your child important concepts such as the days of the week and how junk food can give you a belly ache, the book is just plain fun! Eric Carle refers to the book as " A book of hope". It has been translated in over 40 languages and has endured for 40 years. Amazon,com even has a free video of Carle taking about the anniversary of his book as well as pages dedicated just to Carle's books http://www.amazon.com/Eric-Carle/e/B000APAFUA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
This is the kind of book you want to own. There are many versions of it: big books teachers use in classrooms, board books for little hands that may tear pages, hardcovers that make a nice gift, and audible downloads for the kid on the go. The book also comes in Spanish, La oruga muy hambrienta, for my Spanish speaking readers, but also for children learning the language.
I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Eric Carle in person one sunny afternoon. The beloved author was signing books at a local bookstore, a real bookstore. One of those stores that is owned by real people, a local husband and wife team who were teachers. Their store was in a refurbished barn that was charming and fun to shop and browse about. I had to leave work early to ensure I arrived in time to meet Carle as well has have him sign the pile of his books my daughter owned.
It is always a good idea to build on the reading experiences you and your children share. You can watch your own caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies by ordering from Insectlore.com which sells kits for around $20.00. Or take a walk outside and look for caterpillars and butterflies. When you return to the house draw what you and your child observed. Better yet, recreate the process Carle uses by tearing different colors of tissue paper into little pieces. Then use the pieces to make your own butterflies. There is a very nice DVD of the author/illustrator in his studio called Eric Carle: Picture Writer. Available on Amazon, but way too pricey, almost $70, you would be better off looking for it on an auction site such as eBay. In it, Carle discusses his art and ideas, answers letters he has received over the years from his young fans, and (the best part!) reads aloud from his books!
Buy Books at Amazon
This is the kind of book you want to own. There are many versions of it: big books teachers use in classrooms, board books for little hands that may tear pages, hardcovers that make a nice gift, and audible downloads for the kid on the go. The book also comes in Spanish, La oruga muy hambrienta, for my Spanish speaking readers, but also for children learning the language.
I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Eric Carle in person one sunny afternoon. The beloved author was signing books at a local bookstore, a real bookstore. One of those stores that is owned by real people, a local husband and wife team who were teachers. Their store was in a refurbished barn that was charming and fun to shop and browse about. I had to leave work early to ensure I arrived in time to meet Carle as well has have him sign the pile of his books my daughter owned.
It is always a good idea to build on the reading experiences you and your children share. You can watch your own caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies by ordering from Insectlore.com which sells kits for around $20.00. Or take a walk outside and look for caterpillars and butterflies. When you return to the house draw what you and your child observed. Better yet, recreate the process Carle uses by tearing different colors of tissue paper into little pieces. Then use the pieces to make your own butterflies. There is a very nice DVD of the author/illustrator in his studio called Eric Carle: Picture Writer. Available on Amazon, but way too pricey, almost $70, you would be better off looking for it on an auction site such as eBay. In it, Carle discusses his art and ideas, answers letters he has received over the years from his young fans, and (the best part!) reads aloud from his books!
Buy Books at Amazon
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