Module 6- The Very Hungry Caterpillar

A. A very hungry caterpillar emerges from an egg and spends an entire week feasting on all kinds of foods, including strawberries, a lollipop, and a piece of pie. As he eats through each food, he also eats holes in the book big enough for little fingers to fit through. At the end of the week he’s a very full caterpillar with a bellyache. He eats a leaf to relieve his indigestion and builds a cocoon where he sleeps for two weeks. At the end of the second week, he emerges as a beautiful butterfly. B. Carle, E. (1987). The very hungry caterpillar. New York: Philomel Books. C. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of those iconic childhood reads that many grow up memorizing even before they can read. I was no exception! Every time I hear this book I think of my childhood and my mom reading it to me while I was sitting on her lap. The words of the story almost have no effect as I get lost in the memories and the effect they cause within me. The writing is fantastic and wonderfully repetitive, which children love. All in all, a great read and something I will always have in my house for my children! D. “This early work by a premier author marked an exciting breakthrough in the traditional children’s book format. Carle uses clever cutout pages to depict a caterpillar eating his way through the calendar week. Caterpillar also brilliantly displays Carle’s ability to integrate a concept (days of the week), scientific information (the life cycle of a caterpillar), and an appealing story. (Ages 3-6)” - by Judith Rovenger, Sesame Street Parents, July/August 1994 “Carle's classic tale of a voracious caterpillar who eats his way through the days of the week and then changes into a beautiful butterfly has been reissued in a sumptuous twenty-fifth anniversary edition with a shiny, silver-coated cover and wonderfully thick, durably pages.” -The Horn Book Guide Volume VI, Number 1 July-December 1994 "The very hungry caterpillar literally eats his way through the pages of the book—and right into your child's heart..." -Mother's Manual "Gorgeously illustrated, brilliantly innovative..." -The New York Times Book Review Every child should experience this wonderful, cumulative story, with its brightly coloured pictures of the tiny but greedy caterpillar that eats his way through one apple, two plums and three pears before turning into a beautiful butterfly. The board version stands up well to the inevitable poking of little fingers through the holes in the pages. (2-4 yrs) -Kirkus UK E. This book is very important to utilize as a read aloud because of its repetitive nature and renown as a children’s classic. Children recognize it and feel comfortable with the story line of the hungry caterpillar- making them feel comfortable and known in an unknown place- the library. Sometimes libraries can be overwhelming to the very young simply through the size of the building or the largeness of the open space. When you gift them with the familiar- like a familiar story- they immediately feel at ease and comfortable enough to begin to explore more.