Featured books by Eric Carle
Reading Rockets recommends the following books by Eric Carle.
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo
Count the animals on their way to the zoo! From one elephant to ten birds, colorful creatures are presented in Carle's signature style as they board the train.
Dream Snow
A farmer dreams that his farm and his five animals get covered by a fresh blanket of Christmas snow. But when he awakens, he discovers that real snow – not dream snow – has fallen, making his Christmas dream come true.
From Head to Toe
Children will wiggle, whirl, romp, and stomp along with the animals in this engaging and radiantly illustrated board book. The easy text encourages verbal and physical participation.
Have You Seen My Cat?
A little boy travels around the world to find his missing cat. As he encounters other felines, he exclaims, "This is not my cat!" That is, until his very own is located.
How Things Grow
A word on one side is illustrated on the opposing page of each spread. Lift the sturdy flap, and the egg becomes a chick, the acorn becomes an oak tree, etc. Even a very familiar caterpillar becomes a handsome butterfly in this thoughtfully presented glimpse of spring things.
My Very First Bilingual Book: Animals/Animales
Descriptive language introduces a series of animals in both English and Spanish accompanied by Carle's signature illustrations. The animal word appears in both languages with one hidden by its picture on sturdy board that slides to reveal the other.
My Very First Book of Numbers
Sturdy, split pages encourage active engagement and support a toddler's rough handling. Numerals and corresponding blocks appear on one part of each page, and match the number of brightly colored objects on the other. Adults and young children will count, identify and play!
My Very First Library
Split pages are used for matching games between the covers of four books, each dealing with a different concept (colors, shapes, numbers and words) that matches with a familiar object on the bottom. Carle’s books, with his signature style of illustration, have been newly formatted and presented in a boxed set.
Pancakes, Pancakes
Jack wakes up to the rooster's crow and decides he wants pancakes for breakfast. Readers follow Jack's breakfast from wheat to plate since these pancakes are made from scratch. This informative and engaging culinary romp, done in Carle's signature style, is sure to make mouths water at any time of the day.
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
When Monica asks her father for the moon, he literally sets out to get it for her. But because the moon is too big, he must wait until it wanes. As the pages unfold, the journey expands with textured, richly colored paintings that are complemented by a straightforward text. Lunar cycles are introduced in this loving story.
Sleep Tight Very Hungry Caterpillar
Make getting ready for bed an adventure with familiar creatures as young children try to guess who (or what) they will find. With a lift of each sturdy flap, the hidden answers are found.
Slowly, Slowly, Slowly, Said the Sloth
Slowly, slowly, slowly… that's how the sloth lives. He hangs upside-down from the branch of a tree, night and day, in the sun and in the rain, while the other animals of the rain forest rush past him. "Why are you so slow? Why are you so quiet? Why are you so lazy?" the others ask the sloth. And, after a long, long, long time, the sloth finally tells them!
The Grouchy Ladybug
A small, ill-tempered insect will not say "Good morning" or "Thank you" to anyone. But, as the day progresses, she becomes a nicer, happier, better-behaved bug. The use of die-cut pages in this vividly illustrated book enhances the sense of movement in a memorable fashion.
The Rabbit and the Turtle
Newly formatted with explicit morals added and one of Carle's signature illustrations accompanies a fable credited to Aesop. The lively, colorful style of art is ideal for the short tales each with its maxim, sure to generate discussion.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This modern classic introduces children to the life cycle of a butterfly through luminous illustrations, pages with die-cuts that grow with the caterpillar, and predictable language. The butterfly that emerges from the cocoon, though no longer small or ravenous, continues to thrill readers of many ages.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Pop-Up Book
In honor of the very hungry and eternally popular caterpillar's 40th anniversary, a stunning new edition brings it to life again. With each page turn, engineered illustrations literally and dramatically pop off the page. Though not for the youngest, this beautifully engineered book is sure to delight and amaze.
The Very Quiet Cricket
A newly hatched cricket is greeted with a welcoming chirp from a bigger cricket. But when he cannot respond, the young cricket visits other insects and listens to their sounds. Eventually, he finds his own voice in a chirp that readers hear at the end of the book. While amusing to the ears, the lush illustrations and pleasing text are a feast for the eyes.
What's Your Favorite Animal?
When 13 well-known illustrators are asked about their favorite animal, the results are as varied in word and illustration as each artist's style. Eric Carle introduces a cat called Fifi, while Mo Willems' is "an Amazonia Neotropical Lower River Tink-Tink." A clever collection of the exotic and expected is rich and varied; plus it benefits the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
What's Your Favorite Color?
Eric Carle’s favorite color is yellow, William Low’s is brown, while Uri Shulevitz likes all colors. A veritable who’s who of illustrators answer the question posed in the book’s title accompanied by an original illustration, sure to spark discussion and a quest to find more books by the illustrators’ books.
Books illustrated by Eric Carle
Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?
With the cadence, format, and appeal of the creators' Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, animals found in North America are introduced. From a rattlesnake to a mountain goat, children will delight in the rhythm and predictability of the text and the cadence of the illustrations.
Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?
A familiar cadence introduces ten animals that are all endangered. The book ends with a child dreaming of seeing all the animals "wild and free." This appealing book can be shared for its boldly illustrated rhyme or to launch awareness of a complex topic.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?
Large, richly colored illustrations accompany the jaunty text in the pattern of Brown Bear…. This book depicts a group that visits the zoo and listens to the sounds that different animals make. Young children will want to join in the fun and make the animal sounds, too.
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