There are times when I have found myself reviewing books because we have recently bought them or been sent them or we are reading them a lot...

A Story Book Classic - The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Monday, November 16, 2015 BookBairn 4 Comments

There are times when I have found myself reviewing books because we have recently bought them or been sent them or we are reading them a lot or they fit with a life event but sometimes there are those classic books which go, not forgotten, but under-appreciated for more shiny, sparkly, lift-the-flappy, or otherwise interactive books. I want every so often to put these children's classics back in the spotlight because, after all, they are the ones we read and enjoy over and over again, bedtime after bedtime, generation after generation!

One such classic that we read at least once a week is 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle. What makes this so perfect for us at bedtime is that it is short and sweet! The illustrations are bright and cheerful and I love the food pictures with caterpillar-nibbled holes in them. BookBairn's fingers are just the right size to wriggle into these cut-outs too! I have mentioned in blog posts before that sometimes illustrations can be over-complicated by fussy backgrounds and unnecessary details that make pages a visual overload for little readers. Set against a plain background it is clear what we are reading about and I'm sure that it will help BookBairn connect words and pictures more easily when she becomes able.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is also a popular book for use in nurseries and primary schools so you will, no doubt, come across it through your children's reading journeys. It is perfect to introduce the concept of metamorphosis as part of minibeasts projects alongside the use simple numbers, the days of the week and discussion of healthy and unhealthy food choices it is a smorgasbord of learning opportunities! There are so many crafts to try out too, a quick google search returns hundreds of brilliant activities to try at home too. This famous little caterpillar has grown arms and legs (as well as wings) and there is a fantastic variety of merchandise out there too: BookBairn loves the pram toy with a jingly bell inside but not such a fan of the puppet book - I always get his head stuck as we turn the pages. Best stick with the classic version we think!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a masterpiece of children's literature. 

If you have any classic books that you love please feel free to comment below, we would love to know what you are reading too!

Love Mummy and BookBairn x




 And no, the hat didn't last long!

4 comments:

  1. BookBairn's Mummy and Uncle Al loved this book and Papa C loves the outfit but hopes BookBairn doesn't have an outfit for each of her books.

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    1. No - she has enough clothes already! We do have a very cute Hairy Maclary t-shirt though for later this week!

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  2. We love the Hungry Caterpillar here. It's great for counting. We used to count the food every night with Angus!!
    Although we think Bookbairn should definitely have an outfit for each book!

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    1. If only her wardrobe had as much space as her bookshelf!

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