I was sad to learn yesterday that the beloved children’s book author Eric Carle has died. He certainly made his mark in the world of children’s books and left happy memories in the minds of children, parents, and teachers. I have several of his books and my grandchildren do too. My kindergarteners loved his colorful stories. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? was a favorite. From it sprang many individual books from young authors with titles like Janey, Janey, What Do You See? Then, Janey would write and draw a picture of her answer. Perhaps, “I see my baby brother looking at me.”
Who could forget The Very Hungry Caterpillar or The Very Angry Ladybug? These books were bright and colorful fun for little ones. The Very Lonely Firefly had a surprise at the end and The Very Clumsy Click Beetle had yet another one on the last page. Super learning tools and springboards for lively imaginations.
Teaching by book titles is loads of fun. The Very Hungry Caterpillar could launch science lessons about a butterfly’s life cycle and math concepts, to say nothing of art and reading. They helped to instill a love for words and a curiosity in the lively minds of children about the world around them.
Mr. Carle is gone from this earth now, but his books live on as do their influence on youngsters. Talented with a love for kids and their interests, he surely fulfilled a mission. Who could ask for more than that?
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