KID´S BOOK RANT: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Book Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Author: Eric Carle
Recommend: Highly
R A N T
You know this book.
Who doesn’t.
The determined little caterpillar who wormed its way into the hearts of millions of children and adults, has, OF COURSE, not excused my own children from its wiggly charm and manipulative colors.
I am so over this caterpillar. I didn’t own this book growing up, but for sure I saw it. When it ended up in my children’s possession I was delighted because I knew it was a classic. But tried to avoid being the one to read actually read it.
Now it is my daughter’s current favorite, and I find myself many times a week making the appropriate sound effects for the baby caterpillar emerging from its egg and beginning its indulgent adventure.
As usual, Eric Carle’s work is genius. The pictures are mesmerizing, the story enticing to little minds. I have read this book what feels like thousands of times and there’s still interest on each page to me. But I will RANT about it nonetheless- because I can, and I want a break from the caterpillar in all its hunger.
First off, I rather dislike little kid’s books about odd food concepts. I don’t like the unbridled appetite of this growing caterpillar- nature and all its marvelousness can’t be explained accurately when a kid learns that the caterpillar eats ice cream and chocolate cake before hibernation. I feel the need to explain that it is not always appropriate for no hibernating creatures to eat so much in one sitting. I get concerned that my kids think this is an option. My concern is pointless though. To be fair, they have NEVER seemed to engage or be overly interested in the caterpillar’s general consumption. They like the egg “popping” in the beginning, the dainty middle pages, and the counting. A moot point for now, but I just KNOW the conversation will happen one day about what that silly caterpillar gets to eat all in on sitting on a Thursday.
This is one of those books I know I project the weird concept of what I THINK my kids will get out of it versus what they ACTUALLY get out of it.
What I THINK they’re getting out of it: eat whatever you want, whenever you want, if it looks good, and nature will have a way of making it be ok.
What they are ACTUALLY getting out of it: Caterpillar turns into a butterfly after making a weird grocery list for my children’s benefit where they get to count the fruits and name the colors.
