Author of all-time classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar dies aged 91
Eric Carle, author and illustrator of the beloved children’s classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has died aged 91, according to a statement from his official Instagram account on Wednesday.
The book, first published in 1969, features a caterpillar who eats his way through many different foods on different days of the week before finally emerging as a butterfly. With its distinctive artwork and subtle educational concepts, the 224-word book has been translated into 66 languages and sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.
“It is with heavy hearts that
we share that Eric Carle, author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other beloved classics, passed away on Sunday, May 23rd at the age of 91,” the statement read, without elaborating. It continued: “When asked why he thinks The Very Hungry Caterpillar has remained popular for so long, Carle said, ‘I think it is a book of hope. Children need hope. You, little insignificant caterpillar can grow up into a beautiful butterfly and fly into the world with your talent.’
“Thank you, Eric Carle for sharing your great talent with so many generations of young readers,” it said. Carle wrote and illustrated more than 70 books for young children, including The Grouchy Ladybug, The Very Busy Spider and The Very Lonely Firefly.
Carle was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929, and moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old, where he later graduated from an art school in Stuttgart.