army - it is true that he and his father were both part of the Nazi war effort, albeit involuntarily. While it may not be accurate to say that Carle was a Nazi - as an adult, he also served in the U.S. In the starkest of terms: at one point in his life, Carle, along with his father, helped Hitler in the fight against the Allied forces. As a parent, I love the thoughtfulness, warmth, and whimsy of his books, which also include “ The Grouchy Ladybug” and “ The Tiny Seed.” However, as a Jewish woman, I was shocked when I learned yesterday that Carle, who died on Sunday at age 91, had a dark Nazi past. The copy of our book was so well-loved that, unfortunately, it fell apart, and we are going to have to purchase a new one for our second child, who is about to be born any second now.Īs an artist, I’ve always adored Carle’s technicolor illustrations. I love the caterpillar’s transition from adorable little caterpillar to voluptuous and equally adorable fat caterpillar, and then the final, breathtaking technicolor spread of the butterfly.

(The book always makes me crave watermelon.) What’s more, the simple tale is enhanced by the tactile pleasures of the perfect, little-finger sized holes in the book, which shows us where the caterpillar has bitten through the many foodstuffs he indulged in - especially the caterpillar’s delightful Friday-night binge, which, to this day, I find mouth-watering. One of the first Hebrew books I bought my son was a translation of Eric Carle’s “ The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Like millions of others, I’ve always loved this book and its tapestry of vibrant colors and textures.

The World of Eric Carle by carle eric