Paint your own Very Hungry Caterpillar-inspired Easter egg

Article-Card-Caterpillar-Egg-Update.jpg

Crafts & activities

Paint your own Very Hungry Caterpillar egg

A selection of classic children's picture books on a bright yellow background

Article-Card-Puffin-Best-Classic-Picture-Books.jpg

Children's reading lists

The best classic children’s picture books

eric-carle-main-image-1800x120020copy.jpg

Features

The making of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar

7 times Eric Carle made us love the outdoors 

very_caterpillar_book_moon.psd.800x0_q85.jpg

7 times Eric Carle made us love the outdoors

A photo of the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle on a plain yellow background

Article-Card-VHC-Day-Activity-Sheets.jpg

Download these Very Hungry Caterpillar activity sheets

A photo of a selection of Eric Carle's books, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, stacked side by side on a wooden table with a plush toy caterpillar and a little birthday cupcake

Article-Card-Eric-Carle-WTSW-Update.jpg

Where to start with Eric Carle’s books

Make a Very Hungry Caterpillar inspired butterfly painting

vhc-painting-activity-snippet.jpg

How to make Very Hungry Caterpillar paper chains

caterpillar-paper-chains-12.jpg

vhc-marshmallow-activity-snippet.jpg

Make a Very Hungry Caterpillar squishy marshmallow print

My Very First Shapes with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Introduce the first concept of shapes with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this playful early learning series - with peep-through flaps on every page! 
 
Learn all about circles, squares, triangles and more with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and friends. 
 
Each page of this chunky board book has been thoughtfully designed with a peep-through flap to encourage little ones to join in and guess the shape. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about learning their very first shapes! 
 
Discover more in our My Very First range with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
My Very First Colours with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Lift-the-Flap Book 
My Very First 123 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Lift-the-Flap Book 
My Very First Opposites with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Lift-the-Flap Book

Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has been translated into 70 languages and sold over 55 million copies. Carle illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote, and more than 170 million copies of his books have sold around the world. In 2003, Carle received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award) for lifetime achievement in children's literature. In 2002, Eric and his wife, Barbara, cofounded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (www.carlemuseum.org) in Amherst, Massachusetts, a 40,000-square-foot space dedicated to the celebration of picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world, underscoring the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of picture books and their art form. Eric Carle passed away in May 2021 at the age of 91. His work remains an important influence on artists and illustrators at work today. www.eric-carle.com

A Magic Wheel Book

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – At the Park

It’s a beautiful day and The Very Hungry Caterpillar is going on a walk. Join him as he meets all the animals, bugs and plants that live and grow around us in nature. 
 
Read the rhyme, turn the magic wheel to reveal a secret picture and join in the nature fun! This innovative format is perfect for imaginative play and tuning fine motor skills. 
 
Discover more early learning books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
Colours: Learn and Play with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Animals

It’s a beautiful day and The Very Hungry Caterpillar is going on a walk! Join him as he meets all the animals, bugs and plants that live and grow around us in nature. Read the simple story, turn the magic wheel to reveal a secret picture and join in the nature fun! this innovative format is perfect for imaginative play and tuning fine motor skills. 
 
Discover more early learning books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
Colours: Learn and Play with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Animals

Bear Hugs! from Brown Bear and Friends

Hugs when you're happy. 
Hugs when you're sad. 
Hugs when you're scared. 
Hugs when you're mad! 
 
Join Brown Bear and Friends as they celebrate love and the power of hugs! 
 
This charming, sweet rhyming book is the perfect gift for Valentine's Day - or any day of the year. 
Fans of Eric Carle will love this special hug in a book as it’s the perfect way to say I love you. Using a range of images from the World of Eric Carle, and featuring Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Panda Bear, Baby Bear and more, this special gift book celebrates the affirming power of a hug. 
 
Want to read more from Brown Bear and friends, check out: 
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 
Baby Bear's Busy Day 
Brown Bear: 123 
Brown Bear: Colours

Hugs when you're happy. 
Hugs when you're sad. 
Hugs when you're scared. 
Hugs when you're mad! 
 
Join Brown Bear and friends as they celebrate love and the power of hugs! 
 
This charming, sweet rhyming book is the perfect gift for Valentine's Day - or any day of the year. 
Fans of Eric Carle will love this special hug in a book as it’s the perfect way to say I love you. Using a range of images from the World of Eric Carle, and featuring Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Panda Bear, Baby Bear and more, this special gift book celebrates the affirming power of a hug. 
 
Want to read more from Brown Bear and Friends, check out: 
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 
Baby Bear's Busy Day 
Brown Bear: 123 
Brown Bear: Colours

A Lift-the-Flap book

The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Easter Hide-and-Seek

Time for a game of hide-and-seek before the Easter celebrations with The Very Hungry Caterpillar can begin. 
 
It's a sunny Spring day - what surprises will The Very Hungry Caterpillar spot as he takes a walk through the garden and onto the farmyard.? Little readers will love lifting all of the flaps in this interactive hide-and-seek rhyming book as they prepare for an Easter eggstravaganza.Each page of this board book has been thoughtfully designed with two engaging flaps on each page that encourage little ones to join in and read aloud. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about the world around them. 
 
Discover more early learning books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The VHC'S Peekaboo Easter 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Animals

Time for a game of Easter hide-and-seek with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 
 
What will we see out in the garden? Who is hiding in the hen house? Can he help the farmer find his sheep? Little readers will love lifting all of the flaps in this interactive hide-and-seek rhyming book as they find the animals and Easter eggs hidden in this book. 
 
Each page of this board book has been thoughtfully designed with two engaging flaps on each page that encourage little ones to join in and read aloud. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about all the farmyard animals found on the farm.

Tabbed Board book

Lunar New Year with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Celebrate the festive traditions of the Lunar New Year with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this new tabbed board book! 
 
Discover beautiful dragons, glowing lanterns, treasured animals, and more in this fun board book featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar. With Eric Carle's bright, colorful illustrations, this is the perfect addition to every child’s library and a wonderful gift for the Lunar New Year! 
 
With 8 chunky tabs this tabbed board book is perfect for little caterpillars to celebrate and learn about this very special festival.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Christmas Eve

Celebrate Christmas with the Very Hungry Caterpillar! 
 
In this brand new lift-the-flap story, set on a silent, snowy Christmas Eve, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is hoping for a very special visitor. 
 
Lift-the-flap on every page to discover who's at home. 
 
Could it be Father Christmas?

In this festive lift-the-flap story, set on a silent, snowy Christmas Eve, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is hoping for a very special visitor. 
 
Lift-the-flap on every page to discover who's at home. Could it be Father Christmas?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Peekaboo Halloween

Celebrate Halloween with search-and-find fun in this pumpkin-shaped board book perfect for fans of The Very Hungry Caterpillar! 
 
Featuring the classic character The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this pumpkin-shaped book is a celebration of all things Halloween. See if you can spot The Very Hungry Caterpillar among jack-o'-lanterns, candy baskets, bats, and more! With Eric Carle's bright, colorful illustrations, this is the perfect addition to every child's library! 
 
Discover more spooktastic interactive Halloween books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Creepy Crawly Halloween 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Halloween Trick or Treat

A Search-and-Find Book

Can You Spot? with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Have you seen The Very Hungry Caterpillar? 
 
There's so much to spot in the city, on the farm, at the beach and more! But can you find The Very Hungry Caterpillar hiding on every page? 
 
This search-and-find activity book is packed with animals, toys and delicious foods to spot. Perfect for keeping very little ones busy at home or on the go! 
 
Discover more activity books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar! 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bugs Wipe-Clean Board Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Time to Eat! Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Feast Sticker and Colouring Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Very Big Colouring Book

Have you seen The Very Hungry Caterpillar? 
 
There's so much to spot in the city, on the farm, at the beach and more! But can you find The Very Hungry Caterpillar hiding on every page? 
 
This search-and-find activity book is packed with over 100 animals, toys and delicious foods to spot. Perfect for keeping very little ones busy at home or on the go! 
 
Discover more activity books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar! 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bugs Wipe-Clean Board Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Time to Eat! Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Feast Sticker and Colouring Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Very Big Colouring Book

Baby Bear's Busy Day

Spend a busy day with Baby Bear in this tactile spin-the-wheel adventure! 
 
From Eric Carle's Brown Bear & Friends, Baby Bear's Busy Day is the perfect gift for newborns and toddlers. Your child will love playing with the spinning wheel, flaps, tabs, and more! 
 
Specially designed for little hands to practice fine motor skills, this book follows Baby Bear from sunrise to sunset, so you can celebrate your very busy day together. 
 
Expand your Eric Carle library with more titles from the series: 
Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Mixed-Up Chameleon

The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Lift-and-Learn: City

Discover your favourite animals in the city with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this bright and bold lift-the-flap book! 
 
Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this interactive lift-and-learn board book filled with beautiful nature and city scenes to explore and hidden animals to discover. 
 
Perfect for little ones who love the outdoors, animals, bugs and all things you can find in the city! 
 
Discover more interactive stories with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Lift-and-Learn: Farm 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bug Hunt 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Finger Puppet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Nature Sticker and Colouring

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Nature Walk

Explore the great outdoors with The Very Hungry Caterpillar! 
 
In this engaging search-and-find board book, young readers will be challenged to find various animals on a nature walk with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 
 
Count the creatures hidden on each spread and discover all there is to see in nature. Lace up those hiking boots, grab some binoculars, and get ready for an adventure! 
 
Discover more of the outside world with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Forest Hide & Seek 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Bugs: Wipe-Clean Board Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bug Hunt

Explore the great outdoors with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this bright and bold search-and-find story book! 
 
In this engaging board book, young readers will enjoy finding animals on a nature walk with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 
 
Count the creatures hidden on each spread and discover all there is to see in nature. Lace up those hiking boots, grab some binoculars, and get ready for an adventure! 
 
Discover more of the outside world with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Forest Hide & Seek 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Bugs: Wipe-Clean Board Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bug Hunt

Brown Bear and Friends ABCs

Learn the alphabet with Brown Bear and Friends in this sweet forest adventure! 
 
In the forest, looking for a treat! What will Brown Bear find to eat? Apple, Berries, Cherries, Deee-licious! 
 
Explore everything there is to see, taste, and discover in the forest as Brown Bear delights in each letter from A to Z in this charming alphabet book. 
 
With rhythmic, rhyming, read-aloud text, and Eric Carle's bright, distinctive artwork, each letter introduces foods, animals, sounds, and so much more. 
 
Expand your Eric Carle library: 
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 
Baby Bear's Busy Day 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Tabbed Board Book

A Day at the Beach with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar for a fun-filled day at the beach! 
 
What will he see? 
 
There is water to splash in, sand for building and seashells to collect! 
 
With 8 chunky tabs, this board book is perfect for getting little ones excited for a visit to the seaside! 
 
Share more first experiences with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
A Day at School with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast: A counting book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Lift-and-Learn Farm 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Garden: A push-and-pull adventure

Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar for a fun-filled day at the beach! 
 
There is water to splash in, sand for building and seashells to collect! 
 
With 8 chunky tabs, this board book is perfect for getting little ones excited for a visit to the seaside! 
 
Share more first experiences with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
A Day at School with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast: A Counting book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Lift-and-Learn Farm 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Garden: A Push-and-Pull adventure

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Pop-Up Book

A new pop-up edition of Eric Carle's classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar! 
 
In this pop-up edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, fans will experience the classic story in a new and interactive way as our favourite caterpillar pops off the page, crawls along branches, munches through food and, finally, turns into an extraordinary butterfly. 
 
Eric Carle fans will love poring over each page of this new edition of the bestselling children's book with elaborate pop-ups and interactive flaps to lift. 
 
Discover more interactive stories with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Lift and Learn: Farm 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bug Hunt 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Finger Puppet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Nature Sticker and Colouring

Wipe-Clean Board Book

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Pets

Explore a wonderful world of pets with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this new interactive wipe-clean activity book! 
 
Follow the trails to help the rabbits hop back to their hutch, join the dots to complete the hamster wheel, and circle the hidden dog toys throughout the garden! 
 
Write, wipe, and repeat for endless interactive fun with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and lots of playful pets &ndash; perfect for keeping little caterpillars busy for hours! 
 
Ideal for little ones starting nursery or school and developing pen control, this book includes a free pen with built-in eraser so the fun can start right away! 
 
Discover more activity books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bugs: Wipe-Clean Board Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Time to Eat! Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Feast Sticker and Colouring Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Very Big Colouring Book

Explore a wonderful world of pets with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this new interactive wipe-clean activity book! 
 
Follow the trails to help the rabbits hop back to their hutch, join the dots to complete the hamster wheel, and circle the hidden dog toys in the garden! 
 
Write, wipe, and repeat for endless interactive fun with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and lots of playful pets – perfect for keeping little ones busy for hours! 
 
Ideal for little ones starting nursery or school and developing pen control, this book includes a free pen with built-in eraser so the fun can start right away! 
 
Discover more activity books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Bugs: Wipe-Clean Board Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Time to Eat! Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Feast Sticker and Colouring Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Very Big Colouring Book

A Lift-the-Flap Book

My Very First 123 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Introduce numbers 1 to 5 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this playful lift-the-flap early learning series!Count along with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and discover two leaping frogs, three colourful fish and more bright and bold animal friends! 
Each page of this chunky board book has been thoughtfully designed with a peep-through flap to encourage little ones to join in and finish the number sequence. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about learning their very first numbers! 
Discover more early learning books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
Colours: Learn and Play with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Dinner: A shapes book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Animals

Introduce numbers 1 to 5 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this playful lift-the-flap early learning series! 
Count along with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and discover two leaping frogs, three colourful fish and more bright and bold animal friends! 
Each page of this chunky board book has been thoughtfully designed with a peep-through flap to encourage little ones to join in and finish the number sequence. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about learning their very first numbers! 
 
Discover more early learning books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
Colours: Learn and Play with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Dinner: A shapes book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Animals

My Very First Colours with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Introduce first colours with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this playful lift-the-flap early learning series!Read along with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and discover bright and colourful animal friends!Each page of this chunky board book has been thoughtfully designed with a peep-through flap to encourage little ones to join in and guess the colour. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about learning their very first colours! 
Discover more early learning books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
123: Learn and Play with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Dinner: A shapes book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Words 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch-and-Feel Animals

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Peekaboo Easter

Celebrate Easter with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this interactive basket-shaped board book! 
 
Filled with delicious Easter treats, friendly springtime animals and a search-and-find on every page - little caterpillars will love searching for The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this seasonal shaped board book, perfect for little hands! 
 
Discover more egg-cellent interactive Easter books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Easter Egg Hunt 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Easter Surprise 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Easter Picnic 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Easter Sticker and Colouring Book

A Lift-the-flap Book

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Eid

Celebrate Eid with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this lift-the-flap board book! 
 
Perfect for sharing with little ones while introducing them to Eid. 
 
Discover more interactive board books with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Time to Eat! Magnet Book 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Lift-and-Learn Farm 
A Day at School with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Christmas Touch-and-Feel

Celebrate baby's first festive season with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this touch-and-feel board book filled with Christmas joy! 
 
Feel the bumpy branches on the Christmas tree, stroke Father Christmas' soft coat and tap the shiny presents to guess what's inside. There is so much to discover with The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Christmas time! 
 
With a touch-and-feel element to explore on every page, this is the perfect gift to share with babies and encourage sensory play during their very first Christmas. 
 
Discover more interactive stories and festive fun with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Christmas Tree 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Night Before Christmas 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's First 100 Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Lift-and-Learn Farm 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Touch and Feel Animals 
The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 123 Finger Puppet Book

Eric Carle

Introduce little readers to their first opposites with The Very Hungry Caterpillar in this playful lift-the-flap early learning series! 
 
Learn your opposites with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and friends. 
 
Each page of this chunky board book has been thoughtfully designed with a peep-through flap to encourage little ones to join in and identify their opposites. Perfect for getting very little ones excited about learning opposites. 
 
Discover more in our My Very First range with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: 
My Very First Colours with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Lift-the-Flap Book 
My Very First 123 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Lift-the-Flap Book 
My Very First Shapes with The Very Hungry Caterpillar: A Lift-the-Flap Book

Eric Carle

Books by Eric Carle

Series by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Articles featuring Eric Carle

Paint your own Very Hungry Caterpillar egg

The best classic children’s picture books

The making of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar

7 times Eric Carle made us love the outdoors

Download these Very Hungry Caterpillar activity sheets

Where to start with Eric Carle’s books

Make a Very Hungry Caterpillar inspired butterfly painting

How to make Very Hungry Caterpillar paper chains

Make a Very Hungry Caterpillar squishy marshmallow print

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter