Eric Carle books

Eric Carle (1929-2021) was an American children's book author and illustrator whose tissue-paper collage art style defined picture books for generations, most famously through The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 60 languages.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Artist to Artist 2007 Buy

Collections

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Twelve Tales from Aesop 1980 Buy

Eric Carle Illustrated Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo 1968 Buy
Pancakes, Pancakes! 1970 Buy
The Tiny Seed 1970 Buy
Do You Want to Be My Friend? 1971 Buy
Rooster’s Off to See the World 1971 Buy
Walter the Baker 1972 Buy
The Secret Birthday Message 1972 Buy
Very Long Train 1972 Buy
Have You Seen My Cat? 1973 Buy
I See a Song 1973 Buy
Why Noah Chose the Dove 1974 Buy
All about Arthur 1974 Buy
The Mixed-Up Chameleon 1975 Buy
The Grouchy Ladybug 1977 Buy
Watch Out!A Giant! 1978 Buy
The Honeybee & the Robber 1981 Buy
Let’s Paint a Rainbow 1982 Buy
Catch the Ball! 1982 Buy
What’s for Lunch? 1982 Buy
The Very Busy Spider 1984 Buy
The Greedy Python 1985 Buy
All Around Us 1986 Buy
Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me 1986 Buy
Eric Carle’s Animals Animals 1989 Buy
The Very Quiet Cricket 1990 Buy
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? 1991 Buy
Eric Carle’s Dragons, Dragons 1991 Buy
Draw Me a Star 1992 Buy
Today Is Monday 1993 Buy
My Apron 1994 Buy
The Very Lonely Firefly 1995 Buy
Little Cloud 1996 Buy
From Head to Toe 1997 Buy
Flora and Tiger 1997 Buy
Hello, Red Fox 1998 Buy
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle 1999 Buy
Dream Snow 2000 Buy
“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth 2002 Buy
Where Are You Going? To See My Friend! 2003 Buy
Mister Seahorse 2004 Buy
10 Little Rubber Ducks 2005 Buy
Count with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2006 Buy
Eric Carle’s Animals 2008 Buy
The Rabbit And The Turtle 2008 Buy
Tom Thumb 2011 Buy
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse 2011 Buy
Around the Farm 2013 Buy
Friends 2013 Buy
Hear Bear Roar 2014 Buy
The Nonsense Show 2015 Buy
I Love Mum with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2016 Buy
Hugs and Kisses for the Grouchy Ladybug 2018 Buy
Christmas Cheer for The Grouchy Ladybug 2019 Buy
Wonderful You 2022 Buy
How Does a Seed Sprout? 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Peekaboo Easter 2024 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Peekaboo Halloween 2025 Buy

My Very First Book Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
My Very First Book of Words 1974 Buy
My Very First Book of Numbers 1985 Buy
My Very First Book of Shapes 1985 Buy
My Very First Book of Colors 1985 Buy
My Very First Book of Food 1986 Buy
My Very First Book of Motion 1986 Buy
My Very First Book of Growth 1986 Buy
My Very First Book of Touch 1986 Buy
My Very First Book of Heads and Tails 1986 Buy
My Very First Book of Animal Homes 2007 Buy
My Very First Book of Animal Sounds 2007 Buy
My First Busy Book 2015 Buy
My First Peek-a-Boo Animals 2017 Buy
My First I See You 2018 Buy
My First Busy World 2019 Buy

Non-Fiction

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Art of Eric Carle 1992 Buy
You Can Make A Collage 1998 Buy

Ready-to-Read: Pre-Level 1 Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Happy and Honey 2001 Buy
See Otto 2002 Buy
Ride Otto Ride! 2002 Buy
My Friend Lucky 2002 Buy
See Pip Point 2003 Buy
Twins in the Park 2003 Buy
Swing Otto Swing! 2004 Buy
See Santa Nap 2004 Buy
Mouse Loves School 2011 Buy
Thank You Day 2014 Buy
Friends Help Each Other 2014 Buy
Daniel Plays Ball 2014 Buy
Daniel Goes Out for Dinner 2015 Buy
Daniel Gets Scared 2015 Buy
Go, Otto, Go! 2016 Buy
My First Gymnastics Class 2016 Buy
My First Soccer Game 2016 Buy
Daniel Plays at School 2016 Buy
My First Ballet Class 2016 Buy
Daniel Learns to Share 2016 Buy
My First Karate Class 2016 Buy
Miffy at the Library 2017 Buy
Miffy Rides a Bike 2017 Buy
My First Yoga Class 2017 Buy
Miffy Can Play! 2017 Buy
Mouse Loves Snow 2017 Buy
Daniel Will Pack a Snack 2017 Buy
Mouse Loves Spring 2018 Buy
Miffy Can Help! 2018 Buy
My First Swim Class 2018 Buy
Trolley Ride! 2018 Buy
Mouse Loves Summer 2018 Buy
See Zip Zap 2018 Buy
Can a Cat Do That? 2018 Buy
Space Cows 2018 Buy
Mouse Loves Fall 2018 Buy
See Pip Flap 2018 Buy
Miffy and the Band 2018 Buy
Tigertastic Stories with Daniel 2018 Buy
Mouse Loves Love 2018 Buy
Daniel Can Dance 2018 Buy
Party Pigs! 2019 Buy
Look Out! A Storm! 2019 Buy
Poof! A Bot! 2019 Buy
Float, Flutter 2019 Buy
Knight Owls 2019 Buy
My First Day of School 2019 Buy
We Can Ride Down the Slide 2019 Buy
Gulp, Gobble 2019 Buy
My First Puppy 2019 Buy
Books Are the Best 2019 Buy
Bug Dipping, Bug Sipping 2020 Buy
Sea Sheep 2020 Buy
Daniel Goes Camping! 2020 Buy
Come In, Zip! 2020 Buy
Bird Singing, Bird Winging 2020 Buy
Cat Has a Plan 2020 Buy
For Otto 2020 Buy
Roller Bears 2020 Buy
The Bug in the Bog 2020 Buy
My First Kitten 2020 Buy
Clean-Up Time! 2020 Buy
Diner Dogs 2021 Buy
Goat Wants to Eat 2021 Buy
See Bip Grow! 2021 Buy
Baking Day! 2021 Buy
Sign Says Stop! 2021 Buy
Read with Daniel Tiger! 2021 Buy
Captain Cat and the Pirate Lunch 2021 Buy
Going Somewhere 2021 Buy
Pill Bug Does Not Need Anybody 2021 Buy
Pig Makes Art 2022 Buy
Can Clam Go? 2022 Buy
Captain Cat Goes to Mars 2022 Buy
Can Blue Hide? 2022 Buy
Friends Forever! 2022 Buy
Stomp! 2022 Buy
Bookstore Bunnies 2022 Buy
Dog Can Hide 2023 Buy
Big Bub, Small Tub 2023 Buy
Nat the Cat Takes a Bath 2023 Buy
Cat Sees Snow 2023 Buy
Frog Can Hop 2023 Buy

STEM Gear

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Turn, Crank, Zoom! 2018 Buy

What’s Your Favorite Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
What’s Your Favorite Animal? 2014 Buy
What’s Your Favorite Color? 2017 Buy
What’s Your Favorite Bug? 2018 Buy
What’s Your Favorite Food? 2019 Buy

World of Eric Carle Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar 1969 Buy
Eric Carle’s Storybook 1976 Buy
A House for Hermit Crab 1987 Buy
Eric Carle’s ABC 1999 Buy
Eric Carle’s Opposites 2007 Buy
The Very Busy Spider’s Favorite Words 2007 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Favorite Words 2007 Buy
The Very Quiet Cricket’s Favorite Words 2008 Buy
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle’s Favorite Words 2008 Buy
Colors. Colores 2008 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Buggy Book 2009 Buy
Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar 2015 Buy
Eric Carle’s How Things Grow 2015 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s ABC 2016 Buy
Calm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2016 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Easter Colors 2017 Buy
I Love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2017 Buy
Merry Christmas from the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2017 Buy
Where is the Very Hungry Caterpillar? 2017 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 123 2017 Buy
Thanks from the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2017 Buy
Sleep Tight Very Hungry Caterpillar 2018 Buy
Happy Birthday from the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2019 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Birthday Party 2019 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Christmas Eve 2019 Buy
Where Is the Sun? 2019 Buy
Can You Guess? 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Easter Sticker and Colouring Book 2020 Buy
You Are Ready!: The World Is Waiting 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Garden Picnic: A Scratch-And-Sniff Book 2020 Buy
Happy Halloween from the Very Busy Spider 2020 Buy
You’re My Little Baby: A Touch-and-Feel Book 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Creepy-Crawly Halloween 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Magnet Book 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Snowy Hide & Seek: A Finger Trail Lift-The-Flap Book 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 8 Nights of Chanukah 2020 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First 100 Words 2021 Buy
Eric Carle’s Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Other Nursery Rhymes 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Easter Egg Hunt 2021 Buy
A Day on the Farm with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2021 Buy
Thank You, Teacher from the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Wild Animal Hide-and-Seek 2021 Buy
Can You Guess? Animal Sounds with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Forest Hide & Seek: A Finger Trail Lift-The-Flap Book 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Halloween Trick or Treat 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Father Christmas 2021 Buy
Eric Carle’s Book of Amazing Animals 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Breakfast 2021 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Winter 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Spring 2022 Buy
Spring Sings for the Grouchy Ladybug 2022 Buy
How Does an Egg Hatch?: Life Cycles with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2022 Buy
How Does a Caterpillar Change?: Life Cycles with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Easter Picnic 2022 Buy
World of Animals 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Bug Hunt 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Summer 2022 Buy
How Does a Tadpole Grow? 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Dinner 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Fall 2022 Buy
Peekaboo Christmas with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eats Snacks 2022 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Garden Friends 2023 Buy
Eric Loves Animals 2023 Buy
I Love Grandma with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2023 Buy
I Love Grandpa with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2023 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Ocean Hide & Seek: A Finger Trail Lift-The-Flap Book 2023 Buy
Farm Babies 7-Button Sound Book 2023 Buy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Rainbow Colors 2023 Buy
A Day at School with the Very Hungry Caterpillar 2023 Buy
The Very Busy Spider’s Forest Friends 2023 Buy
Baby Bear’s Busy Day with Brown Bear and Friends 2023 Buy
A Day in the Snow with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 2023 Buy
Bear Hugs! from Brown Bear and Friends 2023 Buy
A Day at the Beach with The Very Hungry Caterpillar 2024 Buy
Creepy-Crawly Halloween 2024 Buy
Little Book of Thanks from Brown Bear and Friends 2024 Buy
You’re My Hungry Little Caterpillar 2024 Buy
Peekaboo Valentine 2024 Buy
Christmas Together with Polar Bear and Friends 2025 Buy

Eric Carle was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1929. His family moved to Stuttgart, Germany, when he was six, and he studied art there before returning to the United States in 1952. After working as a graphic designer at the New York Times, he was recruited by author Bill Martin Jr. to illustrate Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1967), which launched his career in children’s books.

His own books began with 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo (1968), followed a year later by The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he wrote and illustrated dozens of titles including The Very Busy Spider, The Grouchy Ladybug, Papa Please Get the Moon for Me, and The Very Quiet Cricket. He received the American Library Association’s Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 2003 for his lasting contribution to children’s literature.

In 2002, Carle and his wife Barbara co-founded the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts, the first full-scale museum in the United States devoted to picture book art. Carle died in Northampton, Massachusetts, in May 2021 at the age of 91, leaving behind a body of work that continues to introduce young readers to art and storytelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Eric Carle written?

Eric Carle has written 244 books across nine series.

What was Eric Carle's first book?

Eric Carle’s first book is 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo, published in 1968.

What illustration technique did Eric Carle use?

Carle created his images by hand-painting sheets of tissue paper with acrylic paints, adding textures and patterns, then cutting or tearing those papers into shapes and layering them onto white illustration board to form collages. The technique gave his work its distinctive bright, textured look. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Germany, where a teacher secretly showed him Expressionist art that had been banned by the Nazis, and he later cited Franz Marc, Paul Klee, and Henri Matisse as influences on his style.

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