Wacky Wednesday #78—The Very Hungry Caterpillar

 

Even if you’re not around young kids very much, it’s likely that you know Eric Carle’s children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Carle has a distinct illustration style in all his books, and his playful illustrations are a beautiful match to his stories. Recently I decided to create an outfit celebrating Carle’s book.

For those unfamiliar with the story, here is a brief summary. A caterpillar pops out of an egg, and is very hungry, so he searches for food. On Monday he eats through one apple, but he is still hungry. On Tuesday he eats through two pears, but he is still hungry. The story continues and after a week of eating all kinds of things, the caterpillar is much bigger. He builds a cocoon around himself, and stays in for more than two weeks. When he emerges, he is a butterfly.

Almost every kiddo I saw today knew the story, and some of the adults did, too.



These are the illustrations from Carle's book. I tried to capture the same playful feel in the fruit I painted.

Carle's lollipop is on the left. On the right is my recreation, using foam and paint.

Another page from Carle's book.

A little history about this beloved book: Carle wrote it in 1969, and more than 44 million copies of it have been sold since. He has illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote.

For me, this story stands out among the hundreds of books I read as a child. The illustrations are so clear, and the colors vivid and rich. The story is told thoughtfully, in language a small child can understand. I also love that the story shows change in a way that isn’t scary—but as a natural, good thing. My kids loved The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Every kid I know loves this book.

This is the back of my outfit, showing the caterpillar, his cocoon and the butterfly he becomes.

Today it was great fun to wear the work of the imaginative Eric Carle, and I hope you enjoy this outfit as much as I’ve enjoyed making and wearing it.