An Author
Study
By Trish Henry
Click on the reading ladybug if you
want to return to this page at any
time.
At the end of this lesson you will be
able to do the following:
• Identify the interactive elements of one
of Eric Carle’s books
• Recognize Eric Carle’s unique artistic style
• Name two or more facts about Eric Carle
• Name two or more facts about an insect
in one of Eric Carle’s books
Born: 1929 in Syracuse, New York. Eric moved to Germany
when he was 6 years old.
Returned: When he was 23, Eric Carle returned to America.
He speaks German and English.
The first book Eric illustrated was Brown Bear, Brown Bear
by Bill Martin.
The first book he wrote and illustrated was The Very
Hungry Caterpillar.
Family: Wife = Barbara; two grown children = one son and one
daughter
Home: Northampton, Massachusetts
Eric Carle’s books are sometimes
called “toy books" because the
reader can interact by touching
cut out pages or raised lines,
listening to sound effects or
seeing special effects like lights.
Touch
Eric Carle books you can
touch, see, or hear
Pick one type of book to learn
about by clicking on one of the
pictures below.
See
Hear
Stories to touch…
Click on your favorite book to
learn more.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
A story about change
In this story a very
hungry caterpillar eats a
variety of foods until the
day he spins his cocoon.
Did you know that most
butterflies don’t really
come out of cocoons?
They come out of a
chrysalis.
Butterfly Nonfiction
Click on a picture to learn about butterflies
1. Egg
3. Pupa
2. Larva
4. Adult
A story about responsibility
Did you know that spiders
are not insects? They
are arachnids. The
garden spider spins a a
circular web called an
orb web. Garden spiders
help gardeners by eating
insects that eat plants.
Did you know you can feel
the spider’s web in this
book?
1. Click on Little Miss
Muffet and listen.
Anansi
2. Click on the spider
web to hear another
song.
3. Click on Anansi or
the blue and purple
spider to hear and see
an African folktale
about Anansi the
Spider. Be patient, the
movie may take a few
seconds to start.
Stories to hear…
Click on your favorite book to
learn more.
The Very Clumsy Click Beetle
A story about perseverance
The bright “eye”
spots on Eric
Carle’s click beetle
are not eyes. They
are colorful spots
that scare away
predators. Their
real eyes are very
small.
Click Beetle Nonfiction
There are about 500 different species of click
beetles in the United States. Click beetles are small
and rather clumsy.
Wings: 2 hard wings, 2 soft wings
Legs: 6
Sound: When a click beetle lands on its back, it will
stretch and release a snap mechanism that is
located between its head and abdomen, making a
clicking sound. This causes the beetle to flip
through the air. Hopefully it will land on its feet.
The Very Quiet Cricket
A love story
Have you ever sat
outside on a summer
night and heard
crickets chirping?
There is a computer
chip in this interactive
book that allows you to
hear a cricket chirping
without going outside.
Cricket Nonfiction
Crickets are dark brown to shiny black with
antennae longer than their body.
Legs: six
Size: 15-25 millimeters (.625-1 inch)
Food: seeds, small fruits, occasionally dead
insects
Sounds: Both males and females can hear,
but only males can make sounds. He chirps
by rubbing his wings together.
Stories to see…
Click on your favorite book to
learn more.
The Very Lonely Firefly
A story about belonging
Its not always easy to
find a friend. In this
story, a lonely
firefly keeps trying
until he finds the
perfect group of
friends for him.
Firefly Nonfiction
Description: Fireflies are flat, soft-bodied
beetles. Most are brown or black and have
red or yellow marks on their back.
Legs: six
Light: fireflies have a luminous, light-giving
organ called a lantern on their abdomen.
The light is cold to the touch.
A story about manners
Ladybugs are also
called ladybird
beetles. Like
spiders, ladybugs
help gardeners by
eating insects that
destroy plants.
Every Insect
Every Insect (ant, fly, bee) is
Divided into three:
One head, one chest, one stomach
Part.
Some have brains. All have heart.
Insects have no bones.
No noses.
But with feelers they can smell
Dinner half a mile away.
Can your nose do half as well?
Also you’d be in a fix
With all those legs to manage: Six.
---By Dorothy Aldis
---From the book Eric Carle’s
Animals, Animals
Eric uses a form of art called
collage.
Collage is when many pictures or
things are glued down to make
another picture.
Eric Carle uses tissue paper he
has painted to make his collage
pictures.
Which one is Eric Carle?
Click on your answer. If your
answer is correct you will
automatically go to the next
question.
This is Theodore Giesel. You
might know him better as
Dr. Seuss. Please try again.
Which of these pictures is a
collage? Click on your answer.
Try Again
Think about the pictures in the Eric Carle
books we read. What did they look like?
You are terrific! Which Eric Carle
book did you choose.
What made this book
interactive.
Lights or other
special cut out
pages or
illustrations
Sounds
Touch
What made this book
interactive?
Lights or other
special cut out
pages or
illustrations
Sounds
Touch
What made this book
interactive?
Lights or other
special cut out
pages or
illustrations
Sounds
Touch
You are a genius!
Come see me when you are done. I have
an art project for you to do. I would
also like to ask you some more
questions about Eric Carle and the
insects in his books.
But first go to the next slide to see
another story about a mosquito and to
hear some more songs about bees and
flies.
More Fun with Insects
Click on an a fly or a
bee to hear another
favorite song about
an insect. Click on
the black screen to
see a story about
mosquitoes that
buzz in people’s ears.
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s ears
Books by Eric Carle
Also by Eric Carle
The Art of Eric Carle
Dream Snow
Eric Carle: Picture Writer (VHS video)
A House for Hermit Crab
The Mixed-Up Chameleon
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (VHS video)
You Can Make a Collage: A Very Simple Howto Book
Teacher Resources
Additional Worksheets and Activities
Teacher Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Aardema, V. and Weston Wood. (1975). Why mosquitoes buss in people’s
ears. [Motion Picture, streaming video]. Retrieved April 21, 2003,
from United Learning: http://www.unitedstreaming.com
Blackwell, V. (2003). Grouchy Ladybug and More. Retrieved April 2003
from http://www.vickiblackwell.com/lit/ladybug.html
Carle, E. (2003). Official Eric Carle Website. Accessed April 2003 at
http://www.eric-carle.com/
Clipart. Retrieved April 2003 from Animation Library:
http://www.animationlibrary.com/a-l/
Porter, K. Kid Things. Retrieved April 2003 from
http://www.minibite.com/kids/index.htm
Rainbow Educational Media. (1990). Insect Metamorphosis [Motion
Picture, streaming video]. Retrieved April 3, 2003,
from United Learning: http://www.unitedstreaming.com
Weston Wood Producer. (1993). African and African American folktales:
How Anansi obtained the sky god’s stories [Motion Picture, streaming
video]. Retrieved April 21, 2003,
from United Learning: http://www.unitedstreaming.com
Worksheets
Worksheets and Activities
The following are some of the Worksheets used
during our Eric Carle author study unit. They
are all Microsoft Word documents.
The Butterfly or the Egg
Butterflies
Mixed-Up Titles
Insect Word Search
Mystery Bug
Have you seen my cat