Welcome to The Official Web Site of Eric Carle

First Book:   1, 2, 3, to the Zoo                                      Published 1968

	Before becoming an author and illustrator Carle worked for the New York Times as a graphic designer.  He also did work for an ad agency, which is where Bill Martin, Jr. saw his illustration of a red lobster.  Bill Martin asked Carle to work with him on the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  This was the beginning of Eric Carle’s career. The second book Eric Carle wrote is his most famous book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The Very Hungry Caterpillar was published in 1969 and has been translated into over 30 languages. Carle’s Writing Inspirations The Very Hungry Caterpillar materialized after Carle punched wholes in a paper.  Thinking about a bookworm, his editor suggested changing the bookworm to a caterpillar and you know the rest of the story. Other writing inspirations come from his love of nature and what his Uncle August called a “thinking machine.”  When Carle would want to hear a story from his Uncle August all he had to do was wind an imaginary lever near his temple until he would say “Halt! I have a story for you!” (Scholastic).   Carle likes this idea of where stories come from; just wind your thinking machine.

Carle’s Illustrations  When it comes to illustrating his books he uses a bright collage style, preparing his own colored tissue papers.  Different textures are created by using a variety of brushes that he uses to “splash, spatter, and fingerpaint acrylic paints onto thin tissue papers” (Scholastic). Carle uses different techniques to create his illustrations.  Some are painted directly onto a white illustration board, while other designs are carefully torn or cut into different shapes.  The colored tissue paper creates bright and lively illustrations.  “The art is then scanned by laser and separated into four colors for reproduction on sheet-fed offset printing presses” (Scholastic).

Eric Carle Books for Science Connections                           The Honeybee and The Robber                           The Grouchy Ladybug                            Draw Me A Star

Eric Carle Books for Writing Connections                             Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?                                Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Eric Carle Books for Math Extensions                              Rooster’s Off to See the World                              What’s For Lunch?                               1, 2, 3, to the Zoo

Eric Carle states, “that the most important part of developing a book is working with editors to revise it”. He says, “You have doubts.  You hate it.  You love it.  You discuss it with your editors.  Your change it.  Finally, at one point you just know it’s right.  After that it goes very quickly” (Scholastic).

References: Rouleau, S. & Buchberg W.  Eric Carle Author Study.  Scholastic.  Retrieved 2-26-2008 from                http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3234 Wikipedia.  Eric Carle.  Retrieved 2-26-2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Carle.