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The Very Hungry Caterpillar

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Wikipedia article




'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' is a childrens picture book, designed, illustrated, and written by Eric Carle. The book features a very hungry caterpillar eating foodstuffs before pupating and emerging as a butterfly. It has won many childrens literature awards and major graphic design awards. Furthermore, it has sold upwards of 50 million copies worldwide, selling roughly a copy per thirty seconds since its publication. The book has been lauded as one of the greatest childhood classics of all time. Its eaten holes and collage artwork were innovative for its time. The book includes counting, days of the week, food, and butterflys life cycle which contribute to juvenile education. Carles original work has been the basis for various tie-in products.

Synopsis



On an early Sunday morning, a tiny and very hungry caterpillar hatches from his egg. Then, he searches for something to eat. For the following five days (Monday through Friday), the very hungry caterpillar eats through an increasing quantity of fruit: one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, four strawberries on Thursday, and five oranges on Friday. The caterpillar is still hungry. On Saturday, he feasts, eating a piece of chocolate cake, a strawberry ice cream cone, a pickle, a slice of Swiss cheese, a slice of salami, a lollipop, a piece of cherry pie, a sausage, a cupcake and a slice of watermelon. That night, he gets a stomach ache from unhealthy overeating.

To recover from Saturdays stomach ache, the caterpillar eats one green leaf on Sunday (week has passed), and then feels much better. He is no longer little and hungry; he is now a big and fat caterpillar. He builds a cocoon around himself. He stays inside of it for two weeks, after which he nibbles a hole and pushes his way out. Finally, he develops into a large, beautiful, multi-colored butterfly. As a butterfly, the cycle begins again. Carles story mimics a caterpillars actual life cycle: eating, growing, spinning, and finally metamorphosing into a butterfly.

Development



'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' is Carle's third book.

Carle was inspired by a hole punch; one day he was hole punching a stack of paper, thought of a bookworm, and created the story 'A Week with Willi the Worm'. 'A Week with Willi the Worm' featured a bookworm named Willi. Ann Beneduce, Carle's editor, advised that a green worm would not make a likable protagonist. Beneduce suggested a caterpillar to which Carle responded butterfly; hence, the idea for the book was cemented.

The differently shaped pages with holes representing the caterpillar's trail through foodstuffs were a challenge, but Carle was familiar with "differently shaped pages" from books that he read as a child in Germany.

Publication



The book was originally published by the World Publishing Company (US) in 1969. It was originally printed in Japan due to high US publishing costs. After the World Publishing Company, Penguin Random House became the books publisher. In 2019, Penguin bought the title from Carle.

Since its production, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' has sold roughly one copy every thirty seconds.

The book has been translated more than 60 languages, including Arabic, Dutch, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Russian, and Hebrew.

Reception



Awards

The book has won numerous awards including the American Institute of Graphic Arts Award in 1970, the Best Childrens Books of England 1970, the Selection du Grand Prix des Treize in France in 1972, and the Nakamori Reader's Prize in Japan in 1975. The New York Times also cited it as one of the Ten Best Picture Books of the Year in 1969.

Furthermore, 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 a few picture books to place on the list. Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association listed the book as one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". Five years later, 'School Library Journal s'urvey of readers named 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' as the second-best childrens book.

More recently in 2020, 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' was number ten on the list of "Top Check Outs of All Time" by the New York Public Library. It also won the best childrens classic accolade at the Sainsbury Childrens Book Awards in 2019. Carle said that this award was a perfect way to celebrate the books 50th anniversary.

Endorsements

'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' introduces Lepidoptera life stage concepts depicting metamorphosis from a hungry caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly; the Royal Entomological Society endorsed the book due to the scientific accuracy of this transformation.

Issues and bans

The book was removed from libraries in Herefordshire, England in an effort to promote healthy eating.

In 2021, researchers from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia criticised a number of books, including 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', for not being culturally diverse, and finding that teachers were over-relying on classic titles which reflected dominant culture and outdated viewpoints and lifestyles. In an article for the 'Australian Journal of Teacher Education', the researchers expressed concern about classic books which only contained animal characters, finding that animal stories decrease the likelihood of children from minority backgrounds seeing characters representative of themselves. They recommended classic titles be placed alongside more contemporary texts which better represent a more modern culturally-diverse society. The findings were criticised by media commentators such as Kel Richards and Erin Molan.

Educational usage and influence



This book includes educational themes including counting, the days of the week, foods, and a butterflys life stages. However, the book does not appear as didactic; rather, it presents information discreetly without children realizing it. It has been used by elementary school teachers, librarians, and parents as a teaching aid, with activities developed which use the book.'The librarian's complete guide to involving parents through children's literature', Anthony D. Fredericks, Libraries Unlimited, 1997. ISBN 1-56308-538-0 p. 93'Teaching Terrific Fours', Annal Jones, Carol Crownover, Elizabeth Jones. Humanism Learning, 2006. ISBN 0-89334-419-2 p. 92 Furthermore, the pictures allow for understanding without reading.Roney, R. C. "Back to the Basics with Storytelling." The Reading Teacher 42.7 (1989): 520-3. JSTOR. Web.

Predictability

The book contains familiar sequences or patterns when referencing days of the week and numbers.Rhodes, Lynn K. "I can Read! Predictable Books as Resources for Reading and Writing Instruction." The Reading Teacher 34.5 (1981): 511-8. JSTOR. Web. These patterns help young readers read naturally and reflect their own personal knowledge about the world. Furthermore, these patterns encourage word recognition strategies while reading, rather than beforehand. Therefore, predictability helps establish understanding within context.

The books predictability also allows for oral cloze exercises, exercises where an adult reader can omit a day of the week or number and the child can insert it.Wiseman, Donna L. "Helping Children Take Early Steps Toward Reading and Writing." The Reading Teacher 37.4 (1984): 340-4. JSTOR. Web. These exercises help children gain confidence in predicting language and enforcing pre-existing knowledge.

Common core

New elementary common core standards emphasize more informational texts in primary education; books like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' mend the divide between informational texts and elementary engagement.Neuman, Susan B., and Roskos, Kathleen. "Helping Children Become More Knowledgeable through Text." The Reading Teacher 66.3 (2012): 207-10. JSTOR. Web. The book is captivating for young learners, while also providing lessons on counting, days of the week, and metamorphosis.

Storytelling/Classroom activities

'The Very Hungry Caterpillars' format allows for expansion into a classroom activity. Children can engage in creative practice and storytelling by inserting their own foods and drawings into each day of the week. Using the books format children can incorporate their own interests; thus, they are telling their own stories. Sharing their renditions with peers, students again engage with storytelling.

Secondary school usage

'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' has met Beowulf in secondary classrooms in an effort to prompt academic and sophisticated discussion of picture books.Neal, Judith C., and Moore, Kay. ""The Very Hungry Caterpillar" Meets "Beowulf" in Secondary Classrooms." Journal of Reading 35.4 (1991): 290-6. JSTOR. Web. Main reasons for integration include the universal themes of picture books and providing visual aids for comprehension. 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' has themes that extend past young children and its integration with Beowulf helps engage secondary aged students.

Healthy eating

This book has been instrumental in fighting childhood obesity. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, philanthropic groups, and anti-obesity campaigns utilize this book to teach children about healthy eating. In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics sent out special copies of the book, with associated learning tools, to health providers, for a campaign to healthy eating in the U.S."Groups Hope "Hungry Caterpillar" Helps Fight Fat". 'Washington Times'. Associated Press. March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2011. Carle supports the usage of his book to promote healthy eating.

Cocoon vs. Chrysalis



In the story, the caterpillar builds a cocoon, and a butterfly emerges. In reality, a caterpillar that makes a cocoon emerges as a moth, while a butterfly will emerge from a chrysalis.

Cultural influence



This book was used by former first lady Barbara Bush as part of her campaign to promote literacy.Tate, Mikayla (June 10, 2019). "PSCD Summer Reading: The Very Hungry Caterpillar". 'Provo City School District'. Retrieved July 24, 2020. The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been translated into 40 different languages and was also used by Barbara Bush as part of her literacy campaign. In 1999, the pizza restaurant Pizza Hut asked 50 U.S. governors to name their favorite books from childhood. The then-governor of Texas, George W. Bush, named 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', despite having been of college age at the time of its publication.

In 2009, Google celebrated the book's 40th anniversary by rendering the logo on its main search page in the style used in the book.

UK/US releases



VHS

'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' was adapted for UK television on September 1, 1993. Then on October 17, 1994 it was released as a VHS video distributed by PolyGram Video. After which, it was re-released on June 16, 1997 distributed by Channel 5 Video, a sub-label of PolyGram. On March 18, 2002 it was re-released by Universal Pictures as part of an anthology called The World of Eric Carle that included 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' along with four other Eric Carle stories.

This anthology utilized a classical musicinfluenced soundtrack by Wallace & Gromit composer Julian Nott. Narration on the UK releases were performed by Roger McGough and Juliet Stevenson; this version was briefly released in the US by Scholastic. Then on August 5, 1995 Disney released a US dub version with narration by Brian Cummings and Linda Gary.'The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other stories'. Walt Disney Productions. August 5, 1995. After Disneys adaptation, the film and TV rights were sold for 1 million.

DVD

'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' was released on DVD on April 24, 2006 as a part of an anthology called The World of Eric Carle; it was presented by the Illuminated Film Company and broadcast by Ventura Distribution.

The anthology, including 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and four other stories, was also released on DVD in the US by Disney. The DVD was also adapted into a 10-track CD, titled 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories.'

Ancillary products



There have been multiple unique book editions, with personalized features. Games, pop-up books, a book/card game combination via University Games, and an educational video game- 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar's ABCs' released by CYBIRD Co. Ltd. for WiiWare in 2010.

References and notes




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