Laurel, 11 months old, is a completely different breed than her 2 1/2 year old brother, Ian. One area they are distinctly different, is in their book preferences. Ian has an amazing attention span, always has. He loved to sit through quite long picture books (i.e.: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie) as early as six months. Laurel, on the other hand, will listen to the first page or two, and then squirm to get out of your lap and go about her business. She is constantly on the go, therefore, I am pleasantly surprised to find her interested in Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I loved this book as a child, and am just tickled pink that both my kids love it too!
The story is about a caterpillar who eats, grows, and becomes a butterfly (a circle of life learning opportunity, sorry, that's the teacher in me). The verse is humorously repetitive (...but he was still hungry). Older tots can count the fruit the caterpillar eats through.
There are a few things about the book that seem to hold Laurel's interest.
She loves to turn pages. The fruit pages are layered, making it easy for her small fingers to manipulate them. The holes found on those same pages are huge attention getters. You can't help but poke your fingers in and out of each one.
Eric Carle's illustrations are absolutely bright, beautiful and spaced out well (meaning it's not overloaded with images). I don't like Carle's artwork in all his books, however, the medium he uses for The Very Hungry Caterpillar suits me just fine. Laurel's favorite part is the butterfly at the end of the story. We love to flap the pages so it looks like it is flying above her. I believe that is what she is attempting in these last two pictures.
7 comments:
Very sweet. What a little cutie. I wish our kids could have a play date! That book makes for some fantastic lesson plans, as well!
My kids always seem to be hungry after reading that book! But yes, I still love it too!
Laurel is killing me with her cuteness!!
Carrie
Ooooooo.... we LOVED that book here and it actually capitivated the attention of both of my older kids. My youngest not at all.
Have you tried The Very Busy Spider? My oldest LOVED LOVED LOVED that book. She had me read it to her all. the. time!
Have fun. This is such a fun age!
Suuch a cutie pie! I never understood the fascination with that book, however. But then again I am not its intended audience. That honor is clearly reserved for cute blondes in purple.
What PRICELESS shots!!!!
To be followed up with the other Eric Carle 'Classic' Brown Bear Brown Bear... God... 8 years later and I can still recite the entire book....
Never read it as a child, but someone gave it to Q, and he digs identifying all the treats. Watermelon! Ice cream!
What a great book! I teach grade one and use that every year. The kids always love it. I haven't tried it with my son yet (8 mos). He's more like your little one - VERY active!
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