Thanks for tuning in for the first of a very special set of articles and a deep-dive into our shelves for books that have stayed with us through ten years of book blogging.

We're starting with an absolute classic, a book that is a gigantic best seller, and one of the first books we bought for my daughter when she was a tiny, tiny mite small enough to fold herself into our laps for a bedtime story.

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle is the book we usually buy for folk who are having kids for the first time (if they don't already have a copy themselves), and still as entertaining and brilliant as it was when it first appeared back in 1969.

It's a hugely influential book, with the sort of sonorous gentle storytelling that works beautifully as a bedtime story, but enough surprises (including a cracking ending) and fun bits to keep a tiny tot (or a surly 12 year old) entertained.


The book opens with such a simple and restful scene before it gets down to the important business of introducing the many-legged multi-scoffing hero of the story, the caterpillar!


The section with the foods munched through by the caterpillar is beautifully done, those holes are a stroke of genius (as are the overlap pages) - Just big enough for toddler fingers to poke into (though we almost wish we'd bought the board book version of this, it might have lasted a bit more rigorous prodding by C when she was little).

Both my wife and I have many happy memories of reading this one to her when she was tiny, and it was demanded again, and again, and again. The book is obviously so well known - both as a book and as a brand (the range of merchandising that sprang up around this book around about the same time was we were buying baby things for C was incredible). To us it's part of where C's reading journey and love of books began all those years ago. We still giggle over the 'fat stomach-ache caterpillar' bit, and I still can't resist reading that bit in a slightly pained voice, just as I did 12 years ago (and yeah, it still makes her giggle though accompanied with a side order of eye-rolling!)

One strange thing - I realised that this book actually predated the blog, and for some reason we never actually reviewed it at all - so happy to feature it finally as one of our keepers, an absolute timeless classic we just can't bear to part with.

Original Review Link: N/A

Eric ("The Hungry Caterpillar") Carle's books are books we've enjoyed over the course of me writing this book blog, and we've steadily hunted down most of the ones you see advertised in the back of Carle's most famous work. 

"Draw me a star" had evaded us up till now but finally the library got a copy in, and it's quite a strange and surreal book. 

With every turn of the page, Carle's trademark painted cutout artwork tells the story of an artist being asked to draw various objects. In turn the objects get grander and grander as the artists slowly becomes old and tired and haggard. 

It's succinctly different to Carle's other books but the repetition and the artwork helps it appeal to youngsters all the same. 


Charlotte's favourite bit: "Draw me the moon"

Daddy's favourite bit: "EEK! Unexpected nudity!"

Oh dear, we fell into the trap of picking up another Eric Carle book we hadn't seen before but it's pretty formulaic stuff so if you're a fan of Carle's artwork, there are some neat little paper-and-paint pics of your favourite animals to look at. The text is basic and repetitive (let's face it, Carle's Hungry Caterpillar was a bit of a fluke one-off wasn't it!) so don't expect youngsters to engage with it much. 

Charlotte's best bit: The whale. 

Daddy's favourite bit: Carle's clever construction and art methods. 

Rating: 2 out of 5

Rating: 3 out of 5

Eric Carle. Already a legend because of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" which no toddler book collection should be without. But his other stuff is extremely good too, and Mister Seahorse has more than a few tricks up its sleeve to keep toddlers entertained. Galloping around under the sea, Mister Seahorse encounters various sea life on his travels. The neat "hook" for this book are several transparent pages that "hide" fish, ready for your toddler to reveal with a turn of a page. You really can't go wrong with Eric Carle / Bill Martin Jr but definitely give Mister Seahorse a read as it seems to be something of an overlooked Carle classic.

Charlotte's Best Bit: Mr Tilapia.

Daddy's Favourite Bit: "I do love you but it's time for you to be on your own now!"

Rating: 4 out of 5