The Very Hungry Green Crayon
The new literature-inspired color will be based on one of the many tissue-stain green hues on Carles voracious little bug. He will be presented with an honorary five-foot crayon in the grassy hue.
More than four decades ago, Carle thought of a bookworm as he punched holes through a stack of paper. He wrote a short story titled A Week with Willi the Worm, but his editor suggested Carle replace the worm with a caterpillar. With that change, The Very Hungry Caterpillar was born, and has since sold more than 29 million copies worldwide and been published in 47 languages, according to the UKs Daily Telegraph.
The books 40th anniversary came with a multitude of celebration and renewed interest in the book. Google changed its banner logo in Carles illustration style, complete with the iconic hungry caterpillar standing atop the letters. The Stanford in Washington Art Gallery opened a new exhibit earlier this month featuring lithographs from Carles books, displays of his lesser known works, and a breakdown of his process of taking an idea and turning it into a published work. A special pop-up edition of the book was released, giving readers another way to enjoy the hungry critters appetite.
But the reason behind the continued success of The Very Hungry Caterpillar goes beyond the playful storyline and quirky illustrations. The book is about change and the wonders that change can bring even if it first brings unpleasantness - as evidenced in the caterpillars inevitable stomach ache after consuming all those sweets.
"I think The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a hopeful story, because it says 'you too little caterpillar can grow up, spread your wings and fly', Carle told the Daily Telegraph. I think it is this message of hope that resonates for many readers."
- article by Rose Jensen
This wonderful piece was written by our newest contributor, Rose Jensen, who writes about the online degree program. Rose welcomes your feedback here.