In honor of Eric Carle’s classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, today is Very Hungry Caterpillar Day. Each year there is a theme around Very Hungry Caterpillar Day and for 2012 the theme is “inspiring hungry minds to grow.” Carle’s books have helped generations of children learn basic concepts like colors and counting, encouraged healthy eating, and inspired kids to grow their imagination. In honor of the day, we have some fun downloadable activities including Caterpillar ABC's and Counting Fruit--you can find all the Very Hungry Caterpillar Day activities here, under the heading Activities for Your Hungry Reader.
For over 40 years, The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been a staple on baby's first bookshelf and seems to be universally loved by those who read it as a child, or who have read it to their own kids. Several of us in the office developed a bit of a crush on this remarkable author/illustrator after watching the video of Carle talking about his inspiration for The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse (you can see it here). It's fortunate that Eric Carle's passion for writing books that teach and excite young readers hasn't waned in the decades since The Very Hungry Caterpillar first arrived on the scene, and I always think it's fun to see what people's favorite titles are. I especially love The Grouchy Ladybug, Mister Seahorse, and The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. What are your favorites?