The Very Hungry Caterpillar Pop-Up Book

By now we’ve all read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and if you haven’t you really should! It is indeed one of the best children’s books of all time. It’s allure? Eric Carle used nature and simplicity to create pure literary magic. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is akin to The Cat in the Hat; it’s obligatory reading for every child.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Eric Carle’s  The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel; Hardcover/Pop-up Book; On Sale March 2009; $29.99; 14 pages; Ages 3 up/PreS up) Penguin has refashioned the story into a pop-up book and it is in a word: gorgeous! The story, which is already phenomenal, pops off the page in wondrous 3-D at every turn. Even though my daughters are older (10 and 8) they were delighted by the creativity and the intricacies of the pop-up technology.

While the book is intended for children ages 3 and older I would recommend that you don’t put this masterpiece in the hands of a 3-year-old or even a 5-year-old. The pop-up version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is so well made it can serve as a wonderful collector’s item. You can save it for your grandchildren and even then they will adore it and be riveted by the gorgeous design of this book. Or, it can become a bedtime story for special occasions. However you decide to use it, it is well worth buying and sharing with your little ones.