Eric Carle.Photo: Jonathan Wiggs/getty
Eric Carle, author and illustrator of the iconic children’s bookThe Very Hungry Caterpillar, has died. He was 91.
Publisher Penguin Kids announced Carle’s death on Twitter, Wednesday.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Eric Carle, author & illustrator ofThe Very Hungry Caterpillarand many other beloved classics, passed away on May 23 at the age of 91,” theirstatementread.
“Thank you for sharing your great talent with generations of young readers,” Penguin Kids' tweet continued, adding the hashtag, “#RememberingEricCarle.”
Carle’s son Rolftold theNew York Timesthat his father died Sunday at his summer studio in Northampton, Massachusetts, of kidney failure.
The Very Hungry Caterpillarwas first published in 1969, and in the decades since has sold more than 55 million copies and been translated into more than 70 languages.
Other beloved titles from Carle includeThe Very Busy Spider,Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?andThe Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse.
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In a2019 interviewmarking the 50th anniversary ofThe Very Hungry Caterpillar,Carle said that the resonant story is one of “hope.”
“It took me a long time, but I think it is a book of hope. Children need hope,” he told Penguin Random House at the time. “You — little insignificant caterpillar — can grow up into a beautiful butterfly and fly into the world with your talent.”
“‘Will I ever be able to do that?’ Yes, you will. I think that is the appeal of that book,” he said.
Carle maintained an active Twitter account, where he would often share his art to mark holidays and wish his readers and followers well.
On Wednesday, his team announced his death with a mournfulstatementon the account.
“From the Eric Carle Team: It is with heavy hearts that we share that Eric Carle, author & illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other beloved classics, passed away on 23rd at the age of 91,” the statement said. “Thank you for sharing your talent with generations of young readers.”
source: people.com
