Merry Christmas from The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Eric Carle

Puffin, 2017

32pp., hbk., RRP $A12.99

9780141388281

Fans of the Very Hungry Caterpillar will like this small-format book from Eric Carle despite its northern hemisphere focus.  While the VHC doesn’t play an active role in the story, he does appear on each page sharing the precepts of the Christmas season in simple text and classic Carle illustrations which will focus their thinking. 

Older children could use it as a compare and contrast exercise as they place the northern hemisphere version alongside their summer hemisphere experience and then discuss the common themes. It could inspire some artwork and help develop the language of comparison, or even spark a discussion about the proliferation of Christmas books and songs featuring favourite characters and artists and who they enjoy most.