Why we at Karadi Tales love Eric Carle

Kids love him, teachers swear by him and parents are grateful to him. In an era where parents all over the world are terrified of the effects of television violence on their children, Eric Carle is a smart, exciting and wholesome solution.

No, he isn’t a new action hero or a TV star. He’s the man who’s brought the reading habit back into children’s lives. He’s a writer-illustrator who has entered the homes and hearts of children everywhere… 

And recently, he’s entered India as well in a bilingual effort by Chitra Books, an imprint of Karadi Tales. Four of his titles – The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Tiny Seed, The Grouchy Ladybug and The Mixed-Up Chameleon. Carle’s text and illustrations have been faithfully retained, with an additional Hindi translation by Sushma Bakshmi. Take a look at the Chitra bilingual Eric Carle books here.

Eric Carle’s best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has been translated into more than 45 languages and sold over 25 million copies. His art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. It is created in the collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. 

Karadi Tales also publishes The Very Hungry Caterpillar as a tactile picture book - books that you can touch and feel. Information about our tactile books is here. 

In his info-video, Eric Carle: Picture Writer, Carle says: 'The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.'

And that’s exactly what he does – his books tell interesting tales within a learning mechanism: they incorporate nature facts – such as how the caterpillar turns into a butterfly or how seeds grow into plants – and inspirational messages – perseverance, politeness and identity. These lessons are subtly reinforced by his wonderful artwork that children keep going back to over and over again. An Eric Carle book is not one that you read and put away – it’s a book that children read and re-read and never forget.

Do read Saffron Tree's review of The Very Hungry Caterpillar here, their review of The Mixed Up Chameleon here and their review of The Grouchy Ladybug here. And don't forget to check out Eric Carle's blog here!