The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Infobox Book
name = The Very Hungry Caterpillar


image_caption = Front cover illustration
author = Eric Carle
illustrator = Eric Carle
cover_artist = Eric Carle
country = United States
genre = Children's picture book
publisher =
release_date = December 31, 1969
media_type = Hardback
pages = 32
isbn = ISBN 0-399-22690-7

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is a children's book written by Eric Carle, originally published in 1969. It is highly popular and has been praised for its use of easy-to-read words which makes it good for teaching young children to read. The book contains 225 words and large, colorful illustrations. It follows a caterpillar as it munches its way through a variety of edibles such as ice cream, salami, watermelon, one slice of Swiss cheese, and a lollipop before it finally pupates and emerges as a butterfly. The story teaches the life cycle of a butterfly, counting to 5, the names of the days of the week, and about different types of food. It is one of the best-selling books of all time with over 25 million copies in print. [ [http://www.vbgov.com/vgn.aspx?vgnextoid=1d704bb82deb8110VgnVCM100000190c640a____&vgnextchannel=0b81fd67f3ad9010VgnVCM100000870b640aRCRD&ct=ev The Very Hungry Birthday (ages 3-5) at Bayside Library] ]

Development

The original title of the book was to have been "A Week with Willi Worm", featuring a bookworm named Willi. However, Carle's editor advised that a green worm would not make a very likable protagonist.Fact|date=September 2008

Reception

The book placed at number 199 in the Big Read, a 2003 poll conducted by the BBC to determine the United Kingdom's best loved books. It was one of the very few picture books to place. [cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top200_2.shtml |title= The Big Read |accessdate=2008-09-08|publisher=BBC]

In a 1999 survey conducted by Pizza Hut, George W. Bush listed the book among his favorite books from when he was growing up. This caused some controversy among media commentators since Bush was twenty-three when the book was first published. [ [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/11/13/MN100771.DTL Bush Gets (Green) Egg on His Face Over Reading List ] ] [ [http://www.dailyhowler.com/h101100_1.shtml Pundits were clucking about Bush's childhood books. As usual, the pundits were wrong ] ] Bush has also chosen the book to read to elementary school classes. [ [http://www.sptimes.com/News/082301/Floridian/Maybe_it_s_fear_of_fl.shtml Floridian: Maybe it's fear of flying ] ]

Awards

The book has won numerous awards from a variety of publications, libraries, parenting groups including a citation from The New York Times as one of the "Ten Best Picture Books of the Year" in 1969, an "American Institute of Graphics Arts Award" in 1970, the "Selection du Grand Prix des Treize" in France in 1972 and a "Nakamori Reader's Prize" in Japan in 1975. [cite web |url=http://www.lib.uconn.edu/online/research/speclib/ASC/findaids/Carle/MSS20000092.html |title= Eric Carle collection |accessdate= 2008-09-08 |publisher= University Libraries - Information courtesy of the Gale Group]

Adaptations

The story has been translated into over 50 languages and. It was featured on "Sesame Street" in the early 1990s. It was also adapted for TV in 1993 by the U.K.'s Illuminated Film Company (producers of The Snowman) as part of an anthology called "The World of Eric Carle" that included four other Carle stories, namely: "The Very Quiet Cricket", "The Mixed Up Chameleon", "Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me", and "I See A Song". Narration on the UK DVD of the programmes entitled "The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other stories" is performed by Roger McGough and Juliet Stevenson, whilst - in the U.S. Walt Disney distributed version - the voices used are those of Brian Cummings and Linda Gary. The programmes were directed by Andrew Goff.

Although a theatrical film has not yet been produced there are rumors of the film rights having been sold for £1 million (over $2 million). [ [http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4717503.stm BBC NEWS | Magazine | Counting on the Caterpillar ] ]

Notes

*Anita Silvey, "100 Best Books for Children", ISBN 0-618-27889-3
*BBC Radio 4, "A Good Read", broadcast 8 February 2005

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories

*Date: December 31, 1995
*Studios: Walt Disney Productions
Walt Disney Home Video (1996 VHS only)
Walt Disney Home Entertainment (2006 DVD, Disney Favorite Stories)
*Runtime: 30 mins.

References

External links

*" [http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4717503.stm Counting on the Caterpillar] " at BBC News, 26 July 2005.
* [http://www.eric-carle.com/ Eric Carle personal website] - Information for teachers and readers.
* [http://www.picturebookart.org/ The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art] - Museum Founded by Eric Carle in 2001 to celebrate the art of the picture book.