The Best Traits and Limitations of Eric Carle

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It was a recent trip to the Kohl’s Department Store in Springhill, TN that declared what children’s author would be the best fit for writing a paper that addresses the best traits and limitations of such a person. Kohl’s Department Stores are currently featuring and selling four of award winning children’s author and illustrator Eric Carle’s books and plush animals in support of their program Kohl’s Cares, which gives 100 percent of their profit to support health and education initiatives in communities all over the nation. The books The Mixed-Up Chameleon, The Hungry Caterpillar, The Foolish Tortoise, and The Grouchy Ladybug, and plush chameleons, caterpillars, tortoises, and ladybugs can be purchased separately for five dollars each (“Kohl’s Cares,” 2011). On the inside flap of the featured books is a personal message from Carle stating how delighted he is for his books to be a part of the Kohl’s Cares program. He further states, “Thank you for your interest in my books and for sharing them with special people in your life.” Eric Carle’s books and merchandise makes over $50 million per year (Setoodeh, 2009). It was the award winning publication of Carle’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar in 1969 that started the chain of events that is now an empire of merchandise in its own right (“Eric,” 2002). Carle’s family and friends have speculated to why and how one book could become so successful, and Carle remarks that “’it is a book about hope. If you’re an insignificant caterpillar, you can grow up to be a butterfly in the world’” (Setoodeh, 2009). Carle’s childhood was a difficult one filled with much tribulations due to World War II.

Carle grew up during wartime in Germany under the reign of Hitler and has related that it...

... middle of paper ...

...useum.org.

Hearne, B. (1992). Pattern of sound, sight, and story: from literature to literacy. From

Literature to Literacy, 16(1), 17-42. Retrieved Feb. 11, 2011, from Project Muse

database.

Kohl’s. “Kohl’s Cares.” (2010). Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://www.kohls.com.

Minzesheimer, B. (2009). Cocooning with carle’s ‘caterpillar.’ USA Today. Retrieved

Feb. 10, 2011, from Gale Biography in Context database.

Mirel, B. (1984). Tradition and the individual retelling. Children’s Literature Association

Quarterly, 9(2), 63-66. Retrieved Feb. 14, 2011, from Project Muse database.

Official Eric Carle Web Site. Retrieved February 10, 2011, from

http://www.eric- carle.com.

Simurda, S.J. & Carle, E. (2002). The house the caterpillar built. Yankee, 66(9), 122.

Retrieved Feb. 12, 2011, from EBSCOhost database.

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