Jennifer D., 5 Minutes for Books editor and 5M4M contributor, here to share some nostalgia and offer a special giveaway. This is part of a sponsored campaign, and I received samples as well, but as always, my opinions are my own.
When my children were toddlers and preschoolers, board books were a staple in our home. I am still inexplicably drawn to them, and they are my go-to gifts for new babies and first birthdays (and 2nd and 3rd for that matter). The sturdiness and smaller size of board books means that they are totally safe for little hands. I always kept some in the car and in their cribs as well as in baskets around the house.
I love Eric Carle’s artistic style. I think the bright colors and the textures are so eye-catching, to children and adults. The text is generally repetitious, but in a great way — pleasing and familiar to children and not annoying to the adults reading and re-reading. But my absolutely most favorite part? The actual holes that the caterpillar chews through the things he eats. I can’t resist putting my fingers right on the perfect missing circle, nor could my children.
There are a handful of books that I remember sharing with my children and actively await sharing with my grandchildren. Eric Carle’s books are definitely in that category, so I’m so proud to help celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
2014 marks the 45th anniversary of Eric Carle’s pre-school classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The anniversary will be officially celebrated on the annual “Very Hungry Caterpillar Day†which takes place every year on the first day of spring (March 20th).
Since its publication in 1969, 36 million copies of the book have sold worldwide and it has been published in 55 languages. That year the book was also named one of the best children’s books of the year by The New York Times, and it has since become a beloved, must-own classic. Today, every 30 seconds, somewhere in the world, a copy of this book is sold.
Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. He has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, and more than 100 million copies of his books have sold around the world. In 2002, Eric and his wife Barbara opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA, a 40,000 square foot space dedicated to inspiring a love of art among children by introducing them to picture book art by renowned artists from around the world.
Enter to win
I am happy to be able to offer a very special 45th anniversary edition of the book which comes with a CD of the story read by Eric Carle himself! You will also receive a limited edition tote.
Follow the instructions in the widget to enter. Start off by leaving a comment telling me your favorite Eric Carle book.
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Definitely Brown Bear! My preschoolers love this book so much. They can read it themselves now. We just made our own version of Brown Bear into a class book. They love looking at their own page.
This is a wonderful prize pack!
My favorite is The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite.
The Very Busy Spider
Next to the very hungry caterpillar my favorite Eric Carle book is Brown Bear, Brown bear what do you see? The kids love his books and I like the bright colors and rhymes.
I See a Song is my favorite.
the very hungry caterpillar is my favorite
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is and always will be my favorite.
our favorite is The Very Hungry Caterpillar because we love it and it’s a classic. i am tony l smoaks on rafflecopter.
The Very Busy Spider
I love the Eric Carle’s ABC book! I love the illustrations in this book
Very busy spider
My favorite would be Brown bear, brown bear. His books have the best graphics!
Brown Bear Brown Bear has been a family favorite for years!
I like the very busy spider 🙂
I like Brown Bear a whole lot.
I like the Grouchy ladybug
The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I can remember turning the pages as a child.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
My favorite is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
the grouchy ladybug is great.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear is my favorite
My favorite Eric Carle book is The Very Busy Spider, but I also love The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Thank you for the giveaway!
I always like sticking my fingers in the hold of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
My favorite is the Hungry Caterpillar
I love The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Grouchy Ladybug.
The Very Hungry Catepillar is my favourite, but they’re all so good!
My favorite is Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
My fave is Have You Seen My Cat?
Brown Bear Brown Bear
The Very Lonely Firefly
The Secret Birthday Message is my fave!
I love the Hungry Caterpillar.
I loved the Very Busy Spider. Thankyou
Our favorite is definitely “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”.
I love The Grouchy Ladybug! His artwork was so fabulous!
The Grouchy Ladybug
Entered cat in the hat
I think it’s title is 10 little ducks..it has a squeak sound effect
We’ve always liked Brown Bear Brown Bear.
I love the very quiet cricket
my favorite is the tiny seed
i like brown bear brown bear
I like Pancakes, Pancakes 🙂
I like brown bear brown bear. its so much fun to read with the kids
Love the goodie, Brown Bear, Brown Bear
The Very Busy Spider.
the grouchy ladybug
Our favorite is The Very Busy Spider book.
I like The Very Busy Spider.
We love Brown Bear Brown Bear.
This one! The very hungry caterpillar.
My favorite is The Very Busy Spider 🙂
Very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite. Both of my boys loved it and I read it daily for years, with silly sound effects and lots of giggling.
I like Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
I like Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
I like Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
I like The Grouchy Ladybug.
My favorite book is Very Hungry Caterpillar. I love the graphics.
Brown Bear, Brown bear
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my absolute favorite! I really enjoy all his books!
We have the Grouchy LadyBug and enjoy it
Our favorite is the The Very Busy Spider
Very hungry caterpiller for sure!
Definitely the Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The Very Busy Spider
I love The Grouchy Ladybug!
Our favorite is the Grouchy Ladybug.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar has always been my favorite
We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar every night when my son was a baby..he would join in at the end of each page with “still hungry” It was one of his absolute favorite books!
Brown Bear, Brown Bear is the best.
My favorite is “From Head To Toe”
The Very Hungry Caterpillar…it is just so cute!
my son loves brown bear and the pancake book!
Love the Very Hungry Caterpillar!
The very hungry caterpillar! I have loved it since I was a young kid.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my absolute favorite.
I love the Brown Bear books (all versions), but my son loves Very Hungry Caterpillar the most!
i always loved brown bear brown bear! we actually read it at story time today at my local library!
I love all of his books! As it is hard to pick just one! Brown Bear, Brown Bear is a book my son loved and it helped him to notice what is around him and what he sees! I love the Hungry Caterpillar and all the fun activities we have done to go along with it! Being an artist I love all the colors in his books and so do my kids! It is so hard to pick just one book when they are all so wonderful and have taught us all so much!! :o)
The Very Hungry Caterpiller
Brown Bear, Brown Bear is the favorite
The Very hungry caterpillar
the tiny seed
My grandchildren’s favorite is Pancakes, Pancakes!
Very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite Carle title. So great for reading aloud!
I’ve been collection Eric Carle books for my daughter since she was little, giving them to her at Christmas and on birthdays. She’s 21 now and I’m still on the lookout for new books or older ones I’ve missed. I don’t think I can choose a favorite, but The Art of Eric Carle is a great look at the artist and his wonderful art work!
Very Hungry Caterpillar- but I’m a teacher, so I love them all!
This one is my favorite to read aloud.
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo is my favorite Eric Carl book, other than the Hungry Caterpillar, of course. My favorite will ALWAYS be the Hungry Caterpillar.
My favorite is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
I really like The Very Busy Spider
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is our favorite Eric Carle book for sure!
My favorite is ‘What’s For Lunch?’. Thanks.
We like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
Our favorite has always been The Very Hungry Caterpillar!
so hard to pick a fav but I do love brown bear, brown bear.
I love “Polar Bear, Polar Bear”.
I like the Brown Bear, Brown Bear book.
We love the Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
My favorite to read to my children is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?
Brown Bear, Brown Bear is my favorite, a childhood favorite!
I entered The Secret of Magic giveaway.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite book and I also like Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?
I love The Grouchy Ladybug!
I like Very Busy Spider
I entered the secret of magic book giveaway.
The grouchy ladybug has been a fav here.
I like reading Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is my favorite!
My favorite is the Hungry Caterpillar
The very hungry caterpillar.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is such a fantastic children’s book – it’s one of the most memorable for me. I can’t believe it’s been 45 years!
I can only hope to have this kind of acclaim someday – I’ve recently created a new series of travel books for kids to teach them about different countries and cultures – check them out at http://www.my-first-trip.com if you’re interested. Thanks!
My favorite is The Very Busy Spider. Thanks for having the giveaway.
I think the Grouchy Ladybug is my favorite. (But it’s so hard to pick just one.)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear is my favorite Carle book.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar has a special place in my heart.
I love Mister Seahorse!
Do You Want to Be My Friend?
I absolutely love Eric Carle and grew up with THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR as a regular on my nightstand. I love the illustrations most of all! Reading it always makes me hungry…
I think we own nearly all of his books, but The Very Hungry Caterpillar continues to be a favourite both for students and for my own children.
I love The Very Hungry Caterpillar and read it to many preschoolers each spring.
I like The Very Busy Spider.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book
My favourite is The Very Hungry Caterpillar for sure! My sons are 15 YEARS apart and my first son loved it and so does my 2.5 year old! It is timeless.
I know brown bear brown bear by heart, as I’m sure lots of people do, so that would be my favorite.
My all time favorite is brown bear brown bear
The very hungry caterpillar is my favorite, but they are all good.
It is a toss up between this one and Brown Bear Brown Bear
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This one is my favorite but I also like the Grouchy Ladybug
My favorite book is brown bear brown bear but I also very much so Love The very Hungry caterpillar!
Brown bear, brown bear is my favorite!
Brown bear, brown bear is my fave
Currently my favorite is The Very Lonely Firefly.
My favorite is “papa, please get the moon for me” Love it!
Brown Bear, Brown bear is my favorite!
The Very Busy Spider.
I like Brown Bear, Brown Bear