About Eric Carle
Millions of people adore the books written by Eric Carle. This is because the tales have minimal language, repetition, and an emphasis on processes and cycles. Carle’s novels have sold over 152 million copies worldwide, and his thoughts have been translated into over 66 languages.
In Amherst, Massachusetts, he established The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art with his wife. Below are the 10 most outstanding Eric Carle books, ranging from hungry caterpillars to hermit crabs to artists who forcefully create their environments.
Eric Carle’s Best Works
DRAW ME A STAR
This graphic novel is also a deep cut amongst Eric Carle’s works since it honors the creative process. Perhaps Carle’s most innovative (and controversial) tale is a walk through the exploration of creative potential. Carle was also a liberal mind of his time and comfortable with portraying natural nudity in the least offensive way.
The artist is first instructed to sketch a star, then a sun, and finally a tree. Soon, the artist completes the creation of the entire planet. There are also directions about how to make a star on the last pages. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend getting a copy and reading it.
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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Another favorite of Eric Carle’s is his first partnership with Bill Martin Jr. The book, first published in 1967, teaches youngsters how to identify colors with various animals.
The practice of repeatedly questioning every creature, “What do you see?” is also ideal for reading aloud to youngsters in the preschool age range. Who wouldn’t have been pleased by the images, including a blue horse, a purple cat, and a pink elephant?
THE MIXED-UP CHAMELEON
Eric Carle’s choice of bright colors suggests he’d ultimately create a tale about a chameleon. Throughout the story, the color-changing animal wishes to be like everybody else. He goes to the zoo and hopes he could have the strength of a polar bear, the beauty of a flamingo, and the ability to swim like a fish.
Whenever his desires come true, he gets confused with all the animal parts on his physique. He can’t even catch flies or camouflage in anymore. As a result, he wants to be himself. This is one of Eric Carle’s wackiest picture books. It also offers a lovely message about embracing oneself. Check out an animation short based on the book, here!
THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
About every 30 seconds, a new copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is purchased. This makes it the most popular Eric Carle book in this list. It’s hard to make a list of the most excellent Eric Carle books without including this timeless classic.
A caterpillar hatches from an egg in the moonlight at the start of the tale. Before actually changing into a butterfly, the juvenile larval eats its way through a variety of meals. The vibrant, colorful graphics are undoubtedly a big reason for the book’s success. The scant words also cover numerals, days of the week, and the life cycle of a butterfly.
A HOUSE FOR HERMIT CRAB
A hermit crab has outgrown his current shell and has to get a new one. It seems too empty and straightforward until he discovers one that fits. He makes a new buddy on his cover every month, from a sea star to an oyster to a sea anemone. His shell seems too tiny again towards the close of the year.
But he doesn’t want to leave his friends behind. Whenever a tiny hermit crab comes along lacking a home, he shares his beautiful shell with him. And then, he finds a larger casing that suits and repeats the process. This tale is often told whenever children leave their homes to explore the world.
Carle’s tale delivers important lessons on personality development and the importance of change.
THE TINY SEED
Eric Carle depicts the life cycle of a plant in this picture book with his stunning collage drawings. The tale explains how the various components and weather impact the tiny seeds. They must withstand being swept far away by the wind, scorched by the heat, and frozen in the winters by the snow. Some seeds don’t make it.
However, those that do develop into lovely plants confront their own set of hazards. The story’s most minor source endures all hardships to grow into a large, crimson bloom. When fall arrives, the cycle repeats, with the flower dispersing its very own seeds into the universe. Check out this audiobook reading of ‘The Tiny Seed’.
PAPA, PLEASE GET THE MOON FOR ME
This is one of Eric Carle’s lesser-known picture books, yet it’s one of my favorites. It discusses lunar phases, delves into parental love and devotion, and experiments with the picture book format. A little girl sees the moon one night and begs her dad to knock it down to her.
He approaches the moon by building a long ladder to place on top of a tall mountain. However, he must wait until it is small enough to be returned to his daughter. It grows smaller every night until it’s exactly the perfect size. The girl enjoys playing with the moon, but it vanishes one day. When the moon returns to the sky and grows larger each night, the cycle is complete.
Watch this animation based on the book, here!
THE VERY BUSY SPIDER
Growing young, this was my favorite Eric Carle book. I believe it was because I enjoyed sifting through the spiderwebs with my fingertips. It depicts a determined spider attempting to weave her web on a fence post. Animal after animal came up to her and asked if she wanted to play.
The spider refused to be diverted. With both graphic and haptic components, the book was intended to be multi-sensory. The web’s strands are imprinted into the pages so that the readers can both see and feel them.
THE ARTIST WHO PAINTED A BLUE HORSE
Because this is a newer book by Eric Carle, it may be unknown to some of his followers. It uses some of its most famous animal drawings to praise the creative process.
A kid in the tale confidently declares that they are an artist. Then, they make a list of all of the lovely pictures they produce. This tale, like all the outstanding Eric Carle books, is aesthetically beautiful. The book also inspires youngsters to use their ideas and ingenuity to create art.
MISTER SEAHORSE
Mr. Marine Horse and other male sea animals look after and hatching their eggs in this book, which takes us back to the ocean. Special translucent acetate sheets are used to depict the many fish and marine animals in their natural habitat.
The ecological message on male animals that nurture and care for their young, as well as the interactive pop-up aspect, are both lovely.
Final Thoughts
It’s difficult to choose the top 10 Eric Carle books out of the over 70 tales he had authored and produced over the years. Many of us grew up loving his graphic novels and reading them to the other children in our lives. He developed a distinct aesthetic style via his artwork, which comprised collages of his hand-painted sheets.
Carle’s drawings were colorful, and joyful. Both children and adults adore the lovely pictures he produced. Therefore, Eric Carle features as a hero of timeless classics on Podium which also give important moral lessons to children all over the globe.
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