This photo illustration shows Eric Carle's 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' and 'Book of Many Things' in Los Angeles on May 26, 2021. Eric Carle, the author of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' died on May 23, 2021 in Northampton, Massachusetts. He was 91.-/AFP/Getty Images
Eric Carle, the beloved children’s author and illustrator whose classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other works gave millions of kids some of their earliest and most cherished literary memories, has died at age 91.
Mr. Carle’s family says he died Sunday at his summer studio in Northampton, Mass., with family members at his side. The family’s announcement was issued by Penguin Young Readers.
Through books such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, Do You Want to Be My Friend? and From Head to Toe, Mr. Carle introduced universal themes in simple words and bright colours.
“The unknown often brings fear with it,” he once observed. “In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.”
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, published in 1969, was welcomed by parents and delighted kids with its story of the metamorphosis of a green-and-red caterpillar with a touch of blue and brown to a proudly multicoloured butterfly.