“With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates — will they be friendly? I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.” Eric Carle
THE AUTHOR
He loves Blackforest honey for breakfast :-)Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 47 languages and sold over 29 million copies. Since the Caterpillar was published in 1969, Eric Carle has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 88 million copies of his books have sold around the world.
This year he is celebrating two birthdays, his own 80th and the 40th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. There are many events and programs happening around the world for The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 40th and there is an exhibit currently on view at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art called 80/40: Celebrating the Birthdays of Eric Carle and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. For more information and for a little preview of the exhibition, visit the Museum's web site.
