Eric Carle’s literary classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar tells the delightful story of a youthful insect striving to survive in the wilderness, narrating some of its difficult life decisions and regrets and concluding with its eventual transformation into maturity. I picked this one up after seeing it recommended on my seven-year-old cousin’s suggested reading list for school, and it did not disappoint. Throughout the book, I experienced an intense emotional rollercoaster: excitement at the birth of the caterpillar, sadness when he ate too much, and exhilaration when he turned into a butterfly. Carle packs the entire life story of the caterpillar in an impressively succinct and concise read, which I managed to finish in around two weeks.
A few of Carle’s rhetorical techniques particularly caught my eye, such as his use of anaphora, a powerful device that captivated my attention with every repeated sentence structure. The intentional anonymity of the main character generalized the events of his life, broadening his story to a common experience that readers as well as other caterpillars could relate to. In addition, the inclusion of ice cream, lollipops, and cherry pie in the protagonist’s diet challenged my preconceived notions of caterpillar food. Lastly, the plot was complex and deep, expanding my worldview and introducing new perspectives from an insect I do not typically hear from.
Beyond Carle’s writing skills, his illustration abilities really shine in this work as well. For one, the drawings of the caterpillar’s food looked so tempting and delicious that I had to take a break from reading to eat all of the fruit in my kitchen. Besides that, the detailed facial expression of the caterpillar conveys his profound confusion and perpetual surprise, which is mirrored by the reader’s anticipation and suspense at every page turn. Furthermore, the small holes drawn through the food represent the caterpillar’s wastefulness and disregard for the environment as he takes a single bite out of each meal. However, as proof of his successful character development, his appreciation for the earth emerges towards the end, as he takes an admirable five whole bites out of just one leaf.
As a testament to its intrigue, after reading this book, I spent the next four hours scouring the internet for caterpillar facts in an effort to better understand and connect with this fascinating species. Though the book is a relic from the 20th century, its themes of growth and transformation continue to resonate in the hearts of modern-day readers. I would emphatically recommend The Very Hungry Caterpillar to anyone looking for a weekend read.