The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Front cover illustration
AuthorEric Carle
IllustratorEric Carle
LanguageEnglish
GenreChildren's literature (Children's picture book)
PublisherWorld Publishing Company (US)
Hamish Hamilton (UK)
Publication date
June 3, 1969
Publication placeUnited States
Media typeHardcover, Board book
Pages22
ISBN0-399-22690-7 (US)
OCLC21134403

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a 1969 children's picture book designed, illustrated, and written by American children's author and illustrator Eric Carle. The plot follows a very hungry caterpillar that consumes a variety of foods before pupating and becoming a butterfly. It incorporates elements that contribute to early childhood education, including counting, days of the week, and food. It also incorporates a butterfly’s life cycle.

Since its publication, the book sold more than 50 million copies, been translated into more than 60 languages, won numerous awards, and been adapted for television.[1] It has been acclaimed as "one of the greatest childhood classics of all time"[2] and praised for its "iconic" art style, featuring collage artwork and pages with holes where the caterpillar "ate" through.[1]

  1. ^ a b Fetters, Ashley (March 20, 2019). "How The Very Hungry Caterpillar Became a Classic". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  2. ^ Taylor, Kate (October 22, 2004). "Eat your heart out". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2022.