Love from the Very Hungry Caterpillar
Bright collage art conveys sweet message of love.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Love from the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a very short, small-format book that makes a great gift for toddlers -- for Valentine's Day or any day. It's only three short sentences long, but very young kids will enjoy the bright, classic Carle collage art on stark white pages, the familiar very hungry caterpillar character, and the sweet message of why I love you, which adults will like reading aloud. However, they may have to explain dated phrases such as "You're the apple of my eye" and "You're the bee's knees." Beginning readers may learn some vocabulary thanks to the big, colorful highlighted words.
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What's the Story?
The very hungry caterpillar eats though fruits, hearts, and cake and squiggles around bugs, birds, stars, and sun as he ticks off the many reasons he loves "you" (the reader), starting with "You are ... so sweet" as he eats through a plump red strawberry and keeps going. After all the colorful examples, he sums things up with "That's why ... I (heart) U" on a final spread where he's coming through the big red heart.
Is It Any Good?
Very young kids and doting parents and grandparents will enjoy reading this sweet little poem of a book. There's not much of a story, and it may be best as a valentine, but if you're a fan of Eric Carle (and who isn't?), you'll be happy to have a new book of his to share with your tot.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about love. Whom do you love, and why?
What's your favorite picture in the book?
Try making your own animal collage with glue and scraps of pictures from a magazine.
Book Details
- Author: Eric Carle
- Illustrator: Eric Carle
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Bugs, Science and Nature
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
- Publication date: December 15, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 3 - 5
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Hardback
- Last updated: February 5, 2018
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