The lessons and activities in this guide are driven by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (2010) which help ensure that all students are college and career ready in literacy no later than the end of high school. The College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language define general, cross-disciplinary literacy expectations that must be met for students to be prepared to enter college and workforce training programs ready to succeed.

21st century skills of creativity, critical thinking and collaboration are embedded in process of bringing the page to the stage. Seeing live theater encourages students to read, develop critical and creative thinking skills, and to be curious about the world around them.

This Teacher Resource Guide includes background information, questions and activities that can stand alone or work as building blocks toward the creation of a complete unit of classroom work.

Before the Show About the Performance About the Author Coming to the Theater

Pre-Show Activities Theatrical Effects in this Production Using Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? in the Classroom

Reading and Writing with The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Experiencing and Enjoying Patterned Text Acts of Writing

Papa Please Get the Moon for Me Activity Ideas

Post-Show Activities If I Had the Mooon Brown Bear Roll and Color Becoming a Butterfly! Critical Response Questions Resources

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Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories

Teacher Resource Guide:

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Playhouse Square is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

This presentation is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Ohio Arts Council and the Crane Group.

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s acclaimed composite of storybook favorites will enjoy widespread touring in 2016-2017. First premiered in 2011, Brown Bear, Brow Bear & Other Treasured Stories by Eric Carle brings together old favorites and new friends. The hour-long production showcases the imaginative blend of innovative puppetry and striking scenic effects that have won international acclaim for the Nova Scotia-based theater. The Very Hungry Caterpillar joins a whimsical menagerie drawn from the pages of Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See? Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the story was written and illustrated by Carle and Bill Martin, Jr., and has served to introduce generations of youngsters to the delights of identifying colors and objects. The heartwarming father and daughter quest for an unusual plaything, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, offers a splendid introduction to the wonderment of the lunar cycle.

Mermaid Theatre was founded in 1972. Their unique adaptations of children’s literature have delighted more than four million young people on four continents. Mermaid regularly crosses North America, and has represented Canada in Japan, Mexico, Australia, England, Northern Ireland, Holland, Scotland, Wales, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Ireland. Mermaid has earned Export Excellence Awards from both Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada in recognition for contributions to the Province’s culture and economy. The company merited an award for Best Performing Group from the Canadian Arts Presenting Association, and received the Crystal Tourism Ambassador Award from Nova Scotia’s tourism industry leaders. Visit their web site at: www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCEBrown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Storiesby Eric Carle

ABOUT MERMAID THEATRE OF NOVA SCOTIA

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Eric Carle is acclaimed and beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for very young children. His best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of literally millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 50 languages and sold more than 33 million copies.

Born in Syracuse, New York in 1929, Eric Carle moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old; he was educated there and graduated from the prestigious art school the Akademie der bildenden Kunste in Stuttgart. Carle always dreamed of returning to America, so in 1952, with a fine portfolio in hand and $40 in his pocket, he arrived in New York. Soon he found a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times.

One day, respected educator and author Bill Martin Jr. called to ask Carle to illustrate a story he had written, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This was the beginning of Eric Carle’s true career. Soon Carle was writing his own stories, too.

Eric Carle’s’ art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His artwork is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. Many of his books have an added dimension: die-cut pages, twinkling lights as in The Very Lonely Firefly, even the lifelike sound of a cricket’s song in the The Very Quiet Cricket.

The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature – an interest shared by most small children. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the child the opportunity to learn something about the world around them.

Carle says, “With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, and should represent warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people: a teacher, classmates. Will they be friendly? The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books, I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.”

Excerpted from The Official Eric Carle Web Site:www.eric-carle.com/home.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Eric Carle

Playhouse Square is an exciting field trip destination! As the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New York, the not-for-profit Playhouse Square attracts more than one million guests to 1,000+ performances and events each year. Playhouse Square thus acts as a catalyst for economic growth and vitality within the region. When you visit, be sure to note the GE Chandelier, the world’s largest outdoor chandelier, and the retro Playhouse Square sign with its 9-foot-tall letters!

As audience members, you and your students play a vital role in the success of the performances. You are part of a community that creates the theater experience. For many students, this may be their first time viewing a live theater production. We encourage teachers to discuss some of the differences between coming to the theater and watching a television show, attending a sporting event or viewing a movie at the cinema. Here are a few points to start the discussion:

Students are led into the theater and seated by an usher.

Theaters are built to magnify sound. Even the slightest whisper can be heard throughout the theater. Remember that not only can those around you hear you; the performers can too.

Appropriate responses such as laughing or applauding are appreciated. Pay attention to the artists on stage; they will let you know what is appropriate.

There is no food, drink or gum permitted in the theater.

Photography and videotaping of performances is not permitted.

When the houselights dim, the performance is about to begin. Please turn your attention toward the stage.

After the performance, you will be dismissed by bus number. Check around your seat to make sure you have all of your personal belongings.

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Coming to the Theater

An exciting destination for field trips and more!

THEATRICAL EFFECTS IN THIS PRODUCTION

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Pre-Show Activities

Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories by Eric Carle is told entirely through the use of black-light puppetry and narration. Black-light puppetry uses a stage lit with ultraviolet, or black lights. The puppeteers and some of the architecture of the stage are covered in black velvet, which cannot be seen under the lights. This allows the puppeteers to be completely hidden, while the puppets can be any size and have a large range of motion. The puppets themselves are fluorescent colored, so they are fully visible and able to move or float in what sometimes seems to be midair – or even disappear.

The way in which the puppets are manipulated is born out of the ancient tradition of Bunraku Puppetry,

originally developed in Japan. This style of puppetry has multiple puppeteers operating one puppet by moving different rods attached to its feet, hands and head. Bunraku puppeteers dress in black clothing to attempt to blend into the background as much as possible.

Bunraku plays feature traditional Japanese music and tell popular stories that the audience often knows beforehand. This is similar to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is told with music and narration from the books themselves.

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Using Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? in the ClassroomThe following ideas were excerpted from http://eric-carle.com.

• Submitted by Penelope Tramell (Kindergarten) The second week of school we use the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to learn our colors. We dedicate one day for each color in the book, then one for our school colors. On that day we wear that color to school. (Mon. = Brown, Tues.=Red, Wed. = Yellow, etc.) The whole school does it so the K kids get really excited to see everyone helping them learn colors!

• Submitted by Courtenay Garver We use many Eric Carle books (Brown Bear, Brown Bear; Polar Bear, Polar Bear; The Very Hungry Caterpillar) to teach a unit on writing pattern books in second grade. Almost all of his books have a pattern or repeating lines. First, the children read the books in groups of three and find the pattern or repeating lines in each book. We use Eric Carle books as touchstone texts that the children can grab at any time to help them write their own pattern book. Some children do their own version of Brown Bear, Brown Bear but change the things he sees, some children write a different version like Black Cat, Black Cat and some children write completely original pattern books. It is a great way for teachers to differentiate and for children to work at their own level. During Writers’ Workshop the rest of the year they can go back to writing pattern books as they finish other projects. Their pattern/repeating line books get more sophisticated as the year goes on.

• Submitted by Marika Roth I take photos of all of our staff at our kindergarten center and make a book called Teacher, Teacher, Who Do You See? It helps kids get to know other adults in building.

• Submitted by Lynn Mitchell I read the story to my two year olds and then I made a matching game for us to play. I held up animals in the story and asked the children to name the color of the animal from the book and to say what sound the animal makes.

• Submitted by Shannon Sullivan We read Brown Bear to our special needs preschoolers in speech therapy group time. The children sequenced the animals in the order they were seen in the book, and used their own names to ask other children what animal they saw. They also placed the animals on a large picture scene according to where the animals live. For example, they could place the Bear in the tree, under the tree or in the woods, and the cat in the barn, in the house or next to the house. The children communicated their ideas through sign language, picture symbols and verbal language.

• Submitted by Theresa I used Brown Bear with my first graders. I read the book to them twice and then prepared an activity for them. I typed out “Brown Bear, ____________ Bear What Do You See? I see a ___________ bird looking at me.” They were able to fill in all the missing words. This helped them to become better readers and spellers.

• Submitted by Tressa Wickman I teach children ages 1-2 years old. I made small people out of construction paper and pasted each child’s picture on a person. As a group we say, Child’s Name, Child’s Name, Who Do You See? I see ____ looking at me.” Then the child picks another student from the pile. We continue in this way until all the children have been chosen. The kids really love it.

• Submitted by Judi Taylor Our kindergarten teachers took the Brown Bear text and adapted it to make monthly take-home books. For example, in December we created Christmas Tree, Christmas Tree. We then took our illustrations, enlarged them and laminated them for the language center. We used this format to create take-home books for almost every month, season or topic of study. Since the children learn the chant so easily, even our non-readers were able to “read.”

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• Submitted by Kim I begin each Kindergarten year with the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear. We expand on the book throughout the seasons by making the following class books: Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern, What Do You See? is made with the symbols of Halloween and ends with “I see a trick-or-treater looking at me;” Santa Claus, Santa Claus, What Do You See? is put together with images of Christmas and ends with “I see Christmas looking at me;” Red Flower, Red Flower, What Do You See? is written with flowers of different color and ends with “I see a rainbow garden looking at me.”

• Submitted by Robbie Morgan I am preparing to use Brown Bear in a Family Learning Day to help parents put together literacy boxes for their special needs child. The box will contain stick puppets of the animals from the book, colored paper for the child to make a personal book and textured materials (red glitter, green paper scraps, yellow feathers, fabric, etc.) to be glued onto drawings of each animal. The literacy box will also contain either the sign language for each picture in the book, or a braille translation of each picture. Parents will learn to use these different tools with their child as they read Brown Bear with their child.

• Submitted by Susan Sawyer I work with a Head Start program that serves children in multi-age classroom settings. For an interactive group activity for my students (ages 3-5), I have created a flannel set of each animal. The children enjoy putting the animals on the flannel board, both when we read the story at group time, and as a sequencing activity during center time.

• Submitted by Amy Have your students write a book in the style of Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Each student should choose an animal and write a book about what that animal smells. Have the students think of their favorite smells: food, flowers, etc. This activity can also be used with other senses. The students like it. Eric Carle is universal. All ages love his books.

• Submitted by N. J. Stapp I am a substitute teacher in Grades K-12. For all my classes I read Brown Bear, Brown Bear in American Sign Language when we have a moment of free time. I initiate a discussion on how not all people are alike, on the people who are challenged physically, mentally, or both. Then I teach the students some basic Sign Language. When I substitute teach in a class again, the students almost always ask, “Do we get to learn more sign language if we get our work done?” They seem to enjoy the book and the Sign Language. You might like to try this if you work with multi-age groups of children.

• Submitted by Kirsten Haugen Brown Bear, Brown Bear gives my young students with disabilities many opportunities to find or match colors, animal names and animal sounds. We have small quilted animals to go with the book, and the students love to match the animal with each page. The children use a talking word processor to rewrite the story by combining the colors and animals in any way they choose, in any order. We might get, “Purple Frog, Purple Frog...” or “White Bear, White Bear...” The kids love it!

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for ReadingRead closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. RL.K-2.1

Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.RL.K-2.2

Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.RL.K-2.7

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for WritingWrite narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.W.K-2.3

Experiencing and Enjoying Patterned TextMaterials:The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleFood cards (on the following pages)Day of the Week Cards (on the following pages)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar falls into the category of predictable books. It features the days of the week, counting words and it contains the repeated sentence structure:

“On _______, he ate through [number] [food], but he was still hungry.”

1. Day 1, read aloud The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

2. Day 2, re-read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, encouraging children to join in.

3. Distribute the days of the week and the food cards. You may want to punch holes in these, and string yarn through so that the children can wear them around their necks.

4. Perform the story once with the teacher reading all the parts, pointing to the children wearing the cards when it is time for them to stand.

5. Perform the story again with the teacher reading the first page, and all the pages following “the stomach ache.” The children are to chant the refrain shown above (“On ______, he ate through [number] [food], but he was still hungry.”) You may need to cue them.

6. Repeat your story multiple times. You can redistribute the food and day cards. The objective is to have as many children joining in the chanting as possible.

READING AND WRITING WITH THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR

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Materials:Chart paperMarker

Because The Very Hungry Caterpillar is such a predictable text, it is a good model for the class to use to write their own book, “The Very Hungry Children.”

1. Share background information about Eric Carle, the author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, with the class (see the links below for background information).

2. Tell children that today they will be authors, and that they will write a story called The Very Hungry Children.

3. Brainstorm with the children. Where would the children be when there was light from the moon? What would they do on Sunday? What would the children eat one of on Monday? What would they eat 2 of on Tuesday? Finally, ask them to think of a way that they might be transformed, just as the caterpillar became a cocoon and then a butterfly, [HINT: they will become first or second grade children next year]. Record the children’s ideas.

4. Next, guide the children in assembling their ideas into a story form. You will record the story on the chart paper.

5. Ask the children to draw a picture from their story. Tell them to “write words that go with your picture” (invented writing is fine).

6. Make individual copies of the class story. Children will use their caterpillar creations, the story and the picture from today’s activity to create their own books.

Adapted from Webbing Into Literacy; A-Book-A-Week Instruction

The Very Hungry CaterpillarLaura B. Smolkin, 2000lbs5z@virginia.edu

Information on Eric Carlehttp://www.eric-carle.com/bio.html

Video Interview with Eric Carlehttp://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/carle

Eric Carle’s Bloghttp://ericcarleblog.blogspot.com/

Acts of Writing

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PAPA, PLEASE GET THE MOON FOR ME ACTIVITIES IDEASCollege and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for ReadingRead closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. RL.K-2.1

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for ReadingDetermine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.RL.K-2.2

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for ReadingAnalyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.RL.K-2.3

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for ReadingRead and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.RL.K-2.10

A loving father brings his daughter her fondest wish, the moon, and kids learn to set and achieve goals. Try these fun activities after a read aloud with your class.

Overview and Lesson PurposeGrade Level and Duration: Elementary grades, about 30 to 60 minutes.

Materials Needed: You’ll need a copy of Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle.

Purpose: This lesson teaches guided reading and language arts. The following concepts are taught: the cycle of seasons, goal setting, fatherly love and predicting events. The children hear the story, learn about the waxing and waning of the moon and answer open-ended discussion questions.

Pre-reading WorkShow the book cover to the class and let the kids take turns calling out guesses about the story. Point to the title and say it aloud, and then repeat with the author’s name.

Tell the kids to raise their arms over their head, fingertips touching like a moon, each time they hear the word “moon.” Read the story to the class and praise them when they raise their arms whenever they hear the word moon.

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Discussion Questions During the StoryTry these discussion questions after reading the story, and encourage the kids to retell the story in their own words:

Why did Monica want the moon? Could Monica reach the moon – why or why not? What object did Papa use first to try to get the moon? How did Papa reach the moon? Why couldn’t Papa carry the moon to Monica? What did the moon say to Papa? How did Papa finally get the moon for Monica? What did Monica do with the moon? What happened to the moon and why? Was the moon gone forever? How big was the moon when Papa first climbed up to it?

Was the moon bigger or smaller when Papa took it home?

Was the moon bigger or smaller when it reappeared in the sky?

Gross Motor/Science Activity After the StoryTo conclude the lesson, prepare large cutouts of a full moon, half-moon, quarter-moon and stars, and make them large enough for a child to stand upon.

Scatter the shapes across the classroom floor.

The kids form a single-file line, and then follow the teacher’s directions for specific motions while moving from shape to shape.

For example, say something like:

“Let’s all hop to the first star. I like the way you follow directions. Now, let’s all take baby steps to the full moon.”

This large-muscle exercise develops gross motor skills and lets the kids exert some energy. When this activity is finished, have the kids sit at their tables and give them some paper and crayons or markers. Review the shapes. Encourage them to draw and label the phases of the moon and the stars.

Like the cycle of seasons, kids learn best by interaction and observation. They may have so much fun; they won’t realize how much they are learning.

Written by: Donna Cosmato • edited by: Trent Lorcher • updated:

2/8/2012

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College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for WritingWrite arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.W.K-2.1

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for WritingWrite narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.W.K-2.3

If I Had the MoonAfter your children have experienced Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Stories by Eric Carle and you have read them Eric Carle’s book, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, they will be ready to respond in writing. Make a copy of the story starter below for each child. Have them complete the thought, “If I had the moon. . .” After writing, have children illustrate their stories.

Post-Show Activities

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Brown Bear Roll and Color

Brown Bear Roll and ColorCommon Core Math Standard (Kindergarten)Compare two numbers between 1 and 10 presented as written numerals.K.CC.7

Common Core Math Standard (Grade 1)Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral. 1.NBT.1

Have the children roll a die. Have them identify the number then color one of the animals with that number on it. The first one to have all of their animals colored is the winner.

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Becoming a Butterfly!Grade 3Life Science (LS)Topic: Behavior, Growth and Changes This topic explores life cycles of organisms and the relationship between the natural environment and an organism’s (physical and behavioral) traits, which affect its ability to survive and reproduce.

Content ElaborationPrior Concepts Related to Behavior, Growth and ChangesPreK-2: Similarities and differences exist among individuals of the same kinds of plants and animals. Grade 3 ConceptsOrganisms are similar to their parents in appearance and behavior but still show some variation. Although

the immature stages of some living things may not resemble the parents, once the offspring matures, it will resemble the parent. At this grade level, the focus is on establishing, through observation, that organisms have a reliable mechanism for ensuring that offspring resemble their parents. It is not appropriate or necessary to introduce the genetic mechanisms involved in heredity, however, care should be taken to avoid introducing the misconception that the individual organism has a way to select the traits that are passed on to the next generation. As part of the study of the life cycle of organisms, the physical appearance of the adults will be compared to the offspring (e.g., compare butterflies to determine if offspring look exactly like the parents).

Cut out the small pictures below and glue them in the correct order on the large butterfly.

1 2

3 4

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CriticalThinking

Critical Response Questions

1. What do you know about bears?

2. Describe what a bear looks like.

3. What is Brown Bear looking for? 4. What came out of the little egg? (A tiny and very

hungry caterpillar)

5. What did the caterpillar eat first? (One apple)

6. What made the caterpillar feel much better? (One nice green leaf)

7. Why did the caterpillar get a stomachache? (He ate a

lot of junk food.)

8. What did the caterpillar become? (A beautiful butterfly)

9. Why can’t Monica reach the moon?

10. Can you think an example of something that you want currently but it seems impossible to get?

11. Could a moon listen to you? If not, why not? Why would you talk to it?

12. Are there things you wish would come true but know are impossible? Why do you wish them?

Students develop their comprehension when they reflect upon what they wondered about, noticed and felt. Ignite a classroom discussion with the following critical thinking questions:

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Books by Eric Carle

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?Written by Bill Martin Jr, 1967Appealing animals in bold colors are seen and named in a rhyming question-and-response text that delights as it invites young readers and listeners to participate actively.Reviews

1, 2, 3 to the Zoo, 1968Fun and learning add up to a perfect 10 in this eloquent but wordless counting book. Bright pictures tell the story: each car on the train has one more zoo animal than the one before it, and all arrive happily at the zoo in a dramatic foldout finale.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, 1969This all-time favorite not only follows the very hungry caterpillar as it grows from egg to cocoon to beautiful butterfly, but also teaches the days of the week, counting, good nutrition and more. Striking pictures and cleverly die-cut pages offer interactive fun.Reviews

Pancakes, Pancakes!, 1970Jack wants some pancakes, but first he must gather eggs from the chickens, wheat from the farmer, flour from the miller, milk from the cow, etc. His mother shows him how to cook and flip them, and hungry Jack knows what to do with them next.

The Tiny Seed, 1970Poetic but simple text and lovely collage pictures dramatize the life cycle of all plants, as one tiny seed grows into an enormous sunflower, which then produces more seeds in its turn.Reviews

Do You Want to Be My Friend?, 1971In few words but expressive pictures, a little mouse looks for a friend - and happily finds one just in time to save himself from a predator who has been hiding there all the time - unseen, but in plain sight! A simple story on the universal theme of friendship.Reviews

Rooster’s Off to See the World, 1972Rooster and the colorful animals that join him on his journey to see the world, provide an enjoyable introduction to the meaning of numbers and sets.

RESOURCES

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The Secret Birthday Message, 1972A message in code starts Tim off on an exciting treasure hunt through a dark cave, an underground tunnel, and other strange places until he finds a happy surprise. Die-cut pages demonstrate in a “hands on” way the meanings of place-words like up, below, through, etc.

Walter the Baker, 1972By order of the Duke, Walter the Baker must invent a tasty roll through which the rising sun can shine three times. A lively and colorful retelling of the legend of the invention of the pretzel.

Have You Seen My Cat?, 1973A boy’s beloved pet cat has disappeared and he sets out to find it. In his search he meets many different kinds of cats, both wild and domesticated, before he finally discovers his own cat, who has a happy surprise for him. (Can you guess what it is?)

I See a Song, 1973As a violinist, shown in black and white, starts to play, colorful semi-abstract images emerge from his music, transmuting magically from one to the next until the end, when the violinist, himself transformed into a many-colored figure, bows and leaves. Wordless, this beautiful book encourages children to develop their own visual and musical imagination and creativity.

My Very First Book of NumbersMy Very First Book of Colors My Very First Book of Shapes My Very First Book of Words, 1974A collection of split-page books in which children can match various familiar objects with numbers, colors, shapes, and words. A game like approach to learning, for very young children.

Why Noah Chose the Dovewritten by Isaac Bashevis Singer, 1974Master story-teller and master illustrator combine their brilliant talents to produce a fresh and lively version of this favorite Old Testament tale of the animals as they vie with one another for a place of honor on Noah’s Ark. For all ages.

The Hole in the Dikewritten by Norma Green, 1975The classic tale of the brave little Dutch boy who kept his finger in a leak in the dike all night long, preventing the damage from spreading, and so saved his town from a devastating flood. Inspiring story of a courageous small boy.

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The Mixed-Up Chameleon, 1975Hilarious pictures show what happens when a bored chameleon wishes it could be more like other animals, but is finally convinced it would rather just be itself. An imagination-stretcher for children.Reviews

The Grouchy Ladybug, 1977A grouchy ladybug who is looking for a fight challenges everyone it meets regardless of his or her size or strength. How this bumptious bug gets its comeuppance and learns the pleasures to be gained by cheerfulness and good manners is an amusing lesson in social behavior. Die-cut pages add drama and dimension.Reviews

Watch Out! A Giant!, 1978Die-cut pages add to the excitement as two children outwit a scary giant.

The Honeybee and the Robber, 1981A brave little honeybee saves the day when a big hungry bear attacks the beehive. Ingenious pop-ups and other movable images bring this funny and informative story to vivid life.

Catch the Ball!Let’s Paint A Rainbow What’s For Lunch?, 1982This delightful series incorporates movable parts, cutout shapes, and sturdy board pages that have been designed to encourage counting, adding, color naming, object identification, beginning reading and manual dexterity.

Chip Has Many Brotherswritten by Hans Baumann, 1983new title: Thank You, Brother Bear, 1995An original tale, which skillfully combines elements of both North European and Native American traditions, tells of a little boy, Chip, who must make a long and dangerous journey to get the medicine that will cure his sick sister. Because he is both brave and kind, he is helped by the animals he meets along the way.

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The Very Busy Spider, 1984With the use of raised printing, this innovative book adds the sense of touch to vision and hearing as ways to understand and enjoy the strikingly designed illustrations and the memorable story. Various farm animals try to divert a busy little spider from spinning her web, but she persists and produces a thing of both beauty and usefulness. Enjoyed by all audiences, this book’s tactile element makes it especially interesting to the visually impaired.

The Foolish Tortoisewritten by Richard Buckley, 1985A witty modern fable tells how a tortoise discovers the need for a shell after several scary encounters.

The Greedy Pythonwritten by Richard Buckley, 1985A companion book to The Foolish Tortoise (above), this tells of a python who is so excessively greedy that it finally eats itself.

The Mountain that Loved a Birdwritten by Alice McLerran, 1985A sensitive, poetic text inspires handsome, semi-abstract college illustrations, in this tale of a little bird that brings a renewal of life and happiness to a lonely, barren mountain.Reviews

Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, 1986Beautiful illustrations are enhanced by dramatic fold-out pages in this moving and imaginative tale of a father’s love for his daughter. Monica’s father fulfills her request by bringing the moon down from the sky after it’s small enough to carry, but it continues to change in size.Reviews

All in a Daycollected by Mitsumasa Anno, 1986Eric Carle, in collaboration with nine other internationally-acclaimed artists, reveals events in a day in the lives of children in various countries all over the world, showing time, climate, environmental and social differences but emphasizing the commonality of humankind everywhere. Thought-provoking as well as entertaining.

A House for Hermit Crab, 1987 (replace image with one with title in English)An underwater fantasy based on the true habits of hermit crabs and the flora and fauna of their marine environment, this book offers young readers an interesting first introduction to marine biology as well as an appealing story of Hermit Crab’s search for a house he can really call his home, as he grows throughout one year’s cycle.Reviews

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The Lamb and the Butterflywritten by Arnold Sundgaard, 1988A protected lamb and an independent butterfly discuss their very different ways of living in a charmingly simple yet philosophical text on the themes of tolerance and diversity. Lovely full-color illustrations appeal to a wide audience range.Reviews

Eric Carle’s Treasury of Classic Stories for Children, 1988A delightfully illustrated retelling of 22 favorite folktales, fairytales, and fables that every child should know. Retold from the works of Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, and the Brothers Grimm.Reviews

Animals Animalscompiled by Laura Whipple, 1989A generously illustrated collection of poems by a variety of authors, describing the peculiarities and charms of pets as well as both wild and domestic animals. Eric Carle is noted for his depiction of animals and this colorful anthology contains some of his finest works.Reviews

The Very Quiet Cricket, 1990The surprise ending of this enormously popular book features a chip that perfectly reproduces the real sound of a cricket’s song. In the story, a young cricket longs to make a sound by rubbing his wings together as many other crickets do. How he finally gets his wish is a romantic tale as well as a first look at natural history for the very young.Reviews

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?Written by Bill Martin Jr, 1991Easy, repetitive question-and-response text draws children into joyful interaction as they imitate the sounds of a variety of zoo animals for the zookeeper. Big, bold animal illustrations and lots of noisy fun.Reviews

Dragons Dragonscompiled by Laura Whipple, 1991Fearsome dragons and other fantastic legend creatures abound in this collection of poems, both modern and classic, all gloriously illustrated in full color, that will expand the world of a reader’s imagination.Reviews

Draw Me a Star, 1992The artist’s drawing of a star begins the creation of an entire universe around him as each successive pictured object requests that he draw more. Based on Eric Carle’s recollection of his grandmother’s way of drawing a star (directions included), this seemingly simple story also provides insights into an artist’s private world of creativity. An inspiring book.Reviews

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Today Is Monday, 1993Based on the well-known children’s song, funny, full-color pictures show the foods featured for each day of the week. In a thoughtful new ending to the familiar text, all the world’s children are invited on Sunday to come and eat it up.Reviews

Eric Carle: Picture Writer, 1993This video contains an inspiring interview with Eric Carle; a hands-on demonstration of tissue paper painting followed by the making of collage illustration. Eric Carle no longer makes school visits, and although this video may not capture the excitement of actually meeting the author/illustrator, it provides insight into his creative process. Produced by Searchlight Films, Director: Rawn Fulton

My Apron, 1994A little boy longs to help his uncle, a mason, plaster the chimney. He feels very grown-up when he gets a work-apron of his own and the chance to do his own small share in real “grown-up” work. A touching story with a valuable message, illustrated in a striking technique using a strong black outline over bright color. A usable, child-size work-apron is included with the book for the reader who can’t wait to get started on his or her own work project.Reviews

The Very Lonely Firefly, 1995Young readers empathize with the lonely firefly who makes many errors as he looks for the group where he will really “belong.” In his search for compatible companions, he meets many other night creatures, but none is quite right—until the happy surprise at the very end when the illustration of a swarm of friendly fireflies literally shines and twinkles a welcome in the night. Heartwarming.Reviews

Little Cloud, 1996Every child loves to see fanciful shapes in the clouds. But what are clouds really for? Here a little cloud slips away from its parent clouds and turns itself into a series of wonderful forms - a sheep, an airplane, a hat, a clown - before rejoining the other clouds as they perform their real function: making rain.Reviews

The Art of Eric Carle, 1996This handsomely designed volume explores many facets of Eric Carle’s life and work. It includes an autobiography, illustrated with many photographs, telling of his early years in the United States, describing the roots of his inspiration, his art education in Germany, his career as a commercial artist on his return to the land of his birth, and his almost accidental discovery of his real vocation - creating beautiful picture books for young children. Essays and critical appreciations of his works, and color photographs showing how the artist creates his unique collage illustrations add to the interest and usefulness of this book. Fine reproductions of many of his best illustrations and a complete list of his books are included.Reviews

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From Head to Toe, 1997“I can do it!” is the confidence-building message of this book. As young children copy the antics of Eric Carle’s animals, they’ll learn such important skills as careful listening, focusing attention, and following instructions. Just as alphabet books introduce letters and simple words, From Head to Toe introduces the basic body parts and simple body movements - the ABC’s of dancing, gymnastics, and other sports activities.Reviews, Mr. Rogers Episode, Additional Notes

Flora and Tiger: 19 very short stories from my life, 1997Every so often, children who have grown up enjoying Eric Carle’s books ask him whether he has written “older” books. Inspired by his questioners, Eric Carle has written this delightful collection of short stories. The events in these stories take place from his earliest childhood to the present. All of the stories are true. But they are set down, not in the order in which they happened, but as they occurred to the author. They come from various places and times of his life and have three things in common: animals or insects, friends or relatives, and Eric Carle.Reviews, Additional Notes

Hello, Red Fox, 1998Mama Frog gets a big surprise when the guests arrive for Little Frog’s birthday party: Red Fox looks green to her! Orange Cat looks blue! With the active help of the reader, Little Frog shows Mama Frog how to see the animals in their more familiar colors. In this book, Eric Carle invites readers to discover complementary colors while enjoying the amusing story of Little Frog and his colorful friends.Reviews, Additional Notes

You Can Make a Collage: A Very Simple How-to Book, 1998Many people ask Eric Carle how he makes his pictures. Klutz Press and Eric Carle got together to answer that question in this simple how-to book, featuring 72 full-color printed tissue papers painted by Eric Carle with instructions and inspirations and even a bit of encouragement for those in a bit of need.Reviews

The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, 1999HEAR the beetle CLICK as it flips through the pages of this book and learns how to land on its feet! Small readers will recognize and empathize with the clumsy little beetle’s eagerness to learn what the older beetle can already do so well. They will understand, too, its frustration when at first it fails. And they will surely rejoice in its eventual spectacular triumph.Reviews

Does A Kangaroo Have A Mother, Too?, 2000Meet the little joey, whose kangaroo mother carries him in her pouch. See the cygnet riding on the back of the mother swan. Eric Carle’s colorful collages of animal babies with their caring and affectionate mothers offer small readers visual delight as well as comforting reassurance.Reviews

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Dream Snow, 2000It’s Christmas Eve, and an old farmer settles down for nap, wondering how Christmas can come when it hasn’t snowed yet. The farmer falls asleep and in his dream, he imagines snowflakes covering him and his animals. He awakens to discover it really has snowed. A surprise at the end of the book makes this a truly magical Christmas.Reviews

“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth, 2002Slowly, slowly, slowly... that’s how the sloth lives. He hangs upside-down from the branch of a tree, night and day, in the sun and in the rain, while the other animals of the rain forest rush past him. “Why are you so slow? Why are you so quiet? Why are you so lazy?” the others ask the sloth. And, after a long, long time, the sloth finally tells them.Reviews

Where Are You Going? To See My Friend!, 2003A dog, a cat, a rooster, a goat, a rabbit, and finally a child join together on a journey to see their friends in this unique bilingual collaboration that unites cultures and languages.Reviews

Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?Written by Bill Martin Jr, 2003Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? is told from the point of view of endangered creatures, and one dreaming child; each page a tribute to wild animals and their freedom.Reviews

Mister Seahorse, 2004Mister Seahorse and fellow fish fathers who care for their soon-to-be-hatched offspring, share their stories while acetate pages reveal camouflaged creatures who bear witness to the conversation between fathers with fins.Reviews

10 Little Rubber Ducks, 200510 Little Rubber Ducks fall overboard and land on shores all around the world. Inspired by the true story of these ducks at sea, Eric Carle has imagined their voyage in the wide-open waters and the creatures they meet who live in and around the ocean.Reviews

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Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?, 2007Join Baby Bear as he sets out to look for his beloved Mama Bear, meeting a diverse cast of North American animals along the way. Readers of all ages will enjoy the rich, colorful illustrations and heartfelt story of this last collaboration in a series that has helped millions learn to read.Reviews

The Artist who Painted a Blue Horse, 2011Reviews, Video, NPR interview

FRIENDS, 2013Review on USA Today

The Nonsense Show, 2015Reviews, Interview in The Wall Street Journal

Resources for Research ProjectsHere is a list of resources and links to information about Eric Carle’s books and creative process that might be useful for individuals doing research on Eric’s work.• The Art of Eric Carle: a 125 page book with autobiographical essays, remarks from Eric’s editors, representative

illustrations from his picture books and a demonstration on how he makes his tissue paper collages. This book should be available from your local library.

• An interview with Eric in Ways of Telling: Conversations on the Art of the Picture Book, by Leonard S. Marcus, Dutton, 2002

• The “Frequently Asked Questions” section of Eric’s web site at http://www.eric-carle.com/faqs.html where I have listed all six volumes of my newsletter The Caterpillar Express.

• How I developed the idea for From Head to Toe by Eric Carle• Notes for Parents and Teachers on using “Hello Red Fox” with children• Eric Carle at Bates College Commencement 2007• “Author Eric Carle’s renowned collage art receives its due at the Tacoma Art Museum” – from Tuesday, November 14,

2006 Seattle Post-Intelligencer Web site• NPR article – set at house in Hawley – 7/15/2007• Eric Carle: Bookfest 02 – The Library of Congress Web cast, 28 minutes - 10/12/2002• Reading Rockets Web site – Video interview with Eric Carle from The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, 2002

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Books on BearsFiction:

Black Bear Cub (Smithsonian Wild Heritage Collection) by Alan Lind, Katie Lee

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear (Child’s Play Library)by Don Wood

Little Polar Bear (a little polar bear story) by Hans de Beer

A Polar Bear Journey by Debbie S. Miller,

Polar Bear Patrol (The Magic School Bus Chapter Book, No. 13) (Magic School Bus)by Judith Stamper

Polar Bears Past Bedtime (Magic Tree House 12, paper) by Mary Pope Osborne

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? By Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle

The Polar Bear Son: An Inuit Tale by Lydia Dabcovich

We Are Bears by Molly Grooms

Non Fiction:

Bears Life in the Wild (Step-Into-Reading, Step 3) by Monica Kulling

Bears: Polar Bears, Black Bears and Grizzly Bears (Kids Can Press Wildlife Series)by Deborah Hodge

Black Bears (Our Wild World Series) by Kathy Feeney, John F. McGee

Giant Pandas: Gifts from China (Rookie Read-About Science) by Allan Fowler

Giant Pandas Up Close (Zoom in on Animals!)By Carmen Bredeson

Polar Bears (Zoobooks Series) by Timothy L. Biel

Other Children’s Books26 Letters and 99 Cents by Tana Hoban, Greenwillow Books

Backstage with Clawdio by Harriet Berg Schwartz, Scholastic, 1993

Black? White! Day? Night! – A Book of Opposites Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Roaring Brook Press

The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola, Scholastic, 1975

Freight Train by Donald Crews, Greenwillow Books, publisher

Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham, Henry Holt and Company

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert, HMH Books for Young Readers

Weather Forecasting by Gail Gibbons, Aladdin 1987

Teacher Resource BooksThe Art of Eric Carle by Eric Carle, Philomel, 1996

Child of Wonder: Nurturing Creative & Naturally Curious Children by Ginger Carlson, Common Ground Press

Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. By Bobbi Conner, Workman Publishing Company, publisher

Linkshttp://mermaidtheatre.ca/

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

www.naturenet.com