Written by Anaisa Arora, a grade 8 student.

Eric Carle, an American artist, and writer died on May 23 in Northampton, Massachusetts at age 91. 

A little about him

Carle was born in New York in 1929, but grew up in Nazi Germany, which had a profound effect on his family and, later, his work.

Carle recalled a childhood filled with art, light, and walks through nature holding his father’s hand. He illustrated more than 70 children’s books over his career.

What’s worth knowing is that he didn’t begin on that track until he was over 40 years old, but he found immense inspiration in his own upbringing.

Here are his top 5 books

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar: When a fictitious caterpillar consumes one apple, two pears, three plums, four strawberries, five oranges, one piece of chocolate cake, and a variety of other delicacies, it may get stomach pain. 
   
   However, it may also have the promise to become the basis of one of the best-selling children’s books of all time.  
   
   The Very Hungry Caterpillar, released in 1969, was well received by adults and children alike for its narrative of a green and red caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a gloriously multi-colored butterfly. It has sold 40 million books, been translated into 60 languages, generated stuffed animal caterpillars, and been adapted into a theatrical play. 
   
2. The Grouchy Ladybug: “You’re not big enough,” is a phrase practically every kid has heard many times while growing up. In this narrative, the melancholy ladybug hears it over and over as it faces insects and animals of different sizes and power. This brilliant and colourful book follows this ladybug as she encounters a beetle, elephant, whale, and other creatures on her hunt for an opponent, eventually learning to be grateful at the end.
   
3. The Very Clumsy Click Beetle: Eric Carle’s novels have always included interactive aspects, and this is no exception. When it was first released, it had a microchip that made a clicking sound at the end, much to the pleasure of the children. This charming story is about a baby click beetle who falls on its back and cannot turn back over. The novel concludes with the beetle learning how to turn the right side up with only a little assistance.
   
4. The Nonsense Show: Whenever this one is read, it brings a chuckle from both children and adults. This book was named one of Time magazine’s top ten children’s books of 2015, and it is defined as a narrative in which “nonsense and surrealism mix to encourage creativity and imagination.” So, within the pages, you’ll find a half-leopard, half-tiger-like animal, as well as a yellow bird with human feet and a steam locomotive with white sheep coming out of the smokestack.
   
5. The Very Busy Spider: Spider gets up early in the morning, determined to spin a web with her silky thread. She’s a hard worker who isn’t swayed by the many enticing offers made to her by her barnyard pals. Her hard work pays off when she successfully catches her meal on her web.
   
   

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