I know that I already touched upon Eric Carle on Day 3 with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and I know that many {MANY!} of the children's authors we've discussed in this series are very wonderful and worthy, but somehow Eric Carle stands out in my mind as the quintessential author and illustrator of kid lit.
Maybe it is the gorgeous bright colors he uses, or his extremely distinct style. Every time you see his work, you know who did it. Maybe its the clever way he takes information from nature {could be blah subject material in the wrong hands} and manages to spin a spellbinding story that educates as well as entertains little ones. For all of the above, I just had to give the man an extra day in our quick survey of quality books for preschoolers.
You've most likely heard of, if not read, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Quiet Cricket, and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, but did you know that Mr. Carle has published well over 5o titles?!? And that he is still actively working? It might be a fun childhood bucket list item to try and read them all.
Here are a few of our less well-known favorites:
Pancakes, Pancakes! {1970}. A little boy asks his mom to make pancakes for breakfast, and she instructs him on how to help her. From growing, threshing, and grinding grain, to collecting an egg from the chickens, to milking the cow, kids get an in depth peek at just how complex the process of food preparation is!
The Secret Birthday Message {1972}. A little boy receives a note the morning of his birthday, with a map of instructions to follow in order to find his birthday gift. The special present ends up being every little boy's dream!
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me {1986}. A little girl wants to play with the moon and asks her Papa to get it for her. The moon, too large for Papa to carry, tells him that each day it will get a little bit smaller. Finally, Papa is able to fulfill Monica's request.
A House for Hermit Crab {1987}. Hermit Crab has outgrown his shell, and needs to find a new home. With his new shell on, he sets off to decorate it. A fun and vividly colorful introduction to a large cast of sea creatures!
Little Cloud {1996}. Little Cloud has fun forming lots of different shapes in the sky. When he meets back up with the rest of his family, its time to do what clouds are made for: rain.
Mister Seahorse {2004}. Did you know that in several underwater species, the male is responsible for hatching and caring for their young? Yeah, I didn't either until we read this book. Parents and kids alike get a nifty science lesson.
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse {2011}. I was most fascinated by extra information the author shared on the back flap of the book. Eric Carle writes a brief tale from his time as a child in Nazi Germany {who knew???} and tells about the artist he wrote this book in honor of. History and Art lesson for parents :).
Friends {2013}. Classic boy meets girl tale, this title is Eric Carle's newest. It charmed me.
What's your family's favorite Eric Carle book?
Looking for more great books to read with your preschooler? Check out the rest of this 31 Days series here!
Some of the links above are affiliate links- which means that if you make a purchase through them, I receive a small profit at no extra charge to you. But you should know that I am an avid believer in reading for free through both local and church libraries ;). Thanks for supporting The Purposeful Wife!
Some of the links above are affiliate links- which means that if you make a purchase through them, I receive a small profit at no extra charge to you. But you should know that I am an avid believer in reading for free through both local and church libraries ;). Thanks for supporting The Purposeful Wife!
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