The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Rating: 5 stars (of course)

I realize that reviewing this book is downright silly. OF COURSE it's one of the best children's books ever written. OF COURSE it makes me realize why I'm typing words about books rather than writing them. Authors like Eric Carle make me realize just how talented the good authors are. It's humbling, really. This book is just fantastic.

I had to add it to my blog because my wonderful neighbor hadn't ever read it (!!!!!) until she borrowed our copy. Of course it came back completely loved, meaning with its binding out of whack and some of the pages peeling off of the cardboard on which it was pasted. I took it as a compliment. This book should be required reading for infants. Is there such a thing? There should be.

Here are some of the things that impress me each and every time I read this, which is a lot--it is one of the books we rarely leave at home when we travel. (Right now it sits in my son's pack and play in his room at our rented beach house, waiting for bedtime along with his blankie and two "loveys.") Ok, that list of things I love:
- Carle shows us a great variety of fruit, and then all the fun junk food (pickles and ice cream!) on the next page
- Carle includes the days of the weeks for older kids like Lorelei, who likes to spot them when she reads
- Carle has a good time with a caterpillar, which is actually questionably cute (in just 6 weeks our back deck will be CRAWLING with them. One = cute, 351,958 = gross)
- Carle puts holes in the book! Holes! The man is genius! What little 6 month old or 15 month old doesn't love to put his chunky little fingers into the hole, pressing it as far as it will, only to have his parent put her finger on the other side and tickle it just a bit!??!?!! Holes! All books should have holes like this. It would make the selection for the Caldecott a lot easier.

That's it. I mean, who's not read this book and loved it? If you've not, you're missing out. If you're a grandparent or fairy godmother looking for a gift, buy the big ol' one with the toy caterpillar that you can move through the holes. I think I might ask for it from Santa this year.