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Happy Birthday
This gorgeous little gift book - now a New York Times best seller - from The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the perfect way to say "Happy Birthday!"
Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar for a celebration of everyone's special day. This beautiful book features Eric Carle's bright, colorful artwork of birthday surprises--from presents to balloons, and of course, cake--with The Very Hungry Caterpillar making an appearance alongside each one. This book is the perfect birthday gift for readers young and old.
Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar for a celebration of everyone's special day. This beautiful book features Eric Carle's bright, colorful artwork of birthday surprises--from presents to balloons, and of course, cake--with The Very Hungry Caterpillar making an appearance alongside each one. This book is the perfect birthday gift for readers young and old.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
1 person is currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Eric Carle
667 books2,449 followersEric Carle was an American author, designer and illustrator of children's books. His picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969, has been translated into more than 66 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. Carle's career as an illustrator and children's book author accelerated after he collaborated on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. Carle illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote, and more than 145 million copies of his books have been sold around the world.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 1, 2019
The "story" is really more of a greeting card spread out across pages in a book. The illustrations are gathered mostly from other Eric Carle books. I am glad I did not spend money for it (thank you, library!) though if your little one is a huge Carle/Caterpillar fan, it might still be a good choice for a birthday book.
March 9, 2019
What a great birthday book to present to the star of that special day! I would combine it with a copy of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" making a perfect combo.
This delightful book is a New York Times best seller. It contains a huge birthday celebration and your child is invited to join in on the festivities.
The book highlights Eric Carle's bold, bright, colourful illustrations in all of their birthday glory! It features balloons, myriad birthday surprises, and of course .... the birthday cake, a must have at everyone's party. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is appears along side each one. Both the young and the old will love this perfect birthday gift given to them by a master storyteller and artist.
This delightful book is a New York Times best seller. It contains a huge birthday celebration and your child is invited to join in on the festivities.
The book highlights Eric Carle's bold, bright, colourful illustrations in all of their birthday glory! It features balloons, myriad birthday surprises, and of course .... the birthday cake, a must have at everyone's party. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is appears along side each one. Both the young and the old will love this perfect birthday gift given to them by a master storyteller and artist.
February 19, 2019
Absolutely perfect little gift book. Best for older children including adults. It isn't a typical Eric Carle picture book for storytime. It is part of a new sideline of Eric Carle gift books. Wonderful to use as a little something extra with a birthday gift. I love it!
February 26, 2025
A super cute book for celebrating your little's special day. In addition to reading this book, I have bought this book to give to others on their special day too!
August 16, 2023
I'm so delighted that Eric Carle published this inspiring book about "Happy Birthday."
Here's one thing I've noticed from reading many children's books. In addition to the official topic, and besides whatever happens to be included in the story line, every one of those books for young children is teaching this same kind of thing:
How life works. What does xyz mean? Which is the acceptable way to do that xyz? And so forth.
In this sense, Eric Carle is teaching children from toddler age up.... What does it mean to have a birthday? What can you expect?
As always with this brilliant author and illustrator, Carle's words are simple and true. Illustrations are witty, warm, and colorful. All of this info is geared toward toddlers. For instance, which of the two following ideas do you think is an exact quote from this book?
Today you will feel extra SPECIAL
OR
Today you will ponder your midlife crisis. Maybe you can sneak out and test drive that red convertible you've been thinking about buying.
THREE CHEERS for the clever -- and kid appropriate -- celebration of what it can mean to have a Happy Birthday.
Here's one thing I've noticed from reading many children's books. In addition to the official topic, and besides whatever happens to be included in the story line, every one of those books for young children is teaching this same kind of thing:
How life works. What does xyz mean? Which is the acceptable way to do that xyz? And so forth.
In this sense, Eric Carle is teaching children from toddler age up.... What does it mean to have a birthday? What can you expect?
As always with this brilliant author and illustrator, Carle's words are simple and true. Illustrations are witty, warm, and colorful. All of this info is geared toward toddlers. For instance, which of the two following ideas do you think is an exact quote from this book?
Today you will feel extra SPECIAL
OR
Today you will ponder your midlife crisis. Maybe you can sneak out and test drive that red convertible you've been thinking about buying.
THREE CHEERS for the clever -- and kid appropriate -- celebration of what it can mean to have a Happy Birthday.
July 6, 2022
This is a very adorable "Happy Birthday" version of THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR, which for me was a childhood favorite. I bought this from Amazon for $5, to attach to my best friend's daughter's birthday present. I figured a card is almost as expensive, and this is a little book she can keep and enjoy again and again!
The quality of the narrative was not as good as the original, thus one less star. This book does make a splendid gift. Both Mom and Daughter loved it, as well as the older sister who snuck off later to read it alone with a piece of cake!
Rating 4 stars
1st Reading, finished April 2021
Recommended to anyone giving a gift to a 3 to 5 year old for their birthday
The quality of the narrative was not as good as the original, thus one less star. This book does make a splendid gift. Both Mom and Daughter loved it, as well as the older sister who snuck off later to read it alone with a piece of cake!
Rating 4 stars
1st Reading, finished April 2021
Recommended to anyone giving a gift to a 3 to 5 year old for their birthday
April 10, 2024
5 stars. A book addressed to children on their birthday. The illustrations are nice. You can also see the very hungry caterpillar in various places in the book. It guides the reader through the entire book, from the beginning, to the end. The whole book is about birthdays. This is not a typical children's story, but the book is nice, and it can be a birthday gift for a child, or even replace a birthday card.
March 9, 2019
This was adorable! I loved how this was similar to a birthday card, but much more fun since it's a book to treasure :) The only thing is that it does mention how the reader (the child whose birthday it is) will get to open presents, but getting to open presents & gifts may not be the case for all children who read the book.
September 16, 2021
Another pointless book.
It's a book describing a birthday to a child who is having a birthday.
Why?
If you are giving a present to a child on their birthday, you are already celebrating their birthday. Why would you give a birthday present about giving a birthday present? This is way too meta for me.
Story: ??? It's not a narrative... Procedural?
Art: Typical Carle
Price: $8.99
It's a book describing a birthday to a child who is having a birthday.
Why?
If you are giving a present to a child on their birthday, you are already celebrating their birthday. Why would you give a birthday present about giving a birthday present? This is way too meta for me.
Story: ??? It's not a narrative... Procedural?
Art: Typical Carle
Price: $8.99
October 15, 2020
This was a cute story and would be a good present for a young child. The story was not incredibly engaging or anywhere as good as the original, but would make a good present for a little one verses a card.
April 8, 2024
Happy Birthday From The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle was published in 2019! The iconic Caterpillar celebrates birthdays with this book! With colorful and unique illustrations this will be a fun read! This is under visual elements/ artistic styles of our book log. 5/5
February 13, 2019
This simple baby and up book about birthdays featuring Eric Carle characters is awesome. Simple and sweet with a great message.
February 18, 2019
Lovely illustrations by Carle
March 7, 2019
Eric Carle has created a book for birthday children. It's simple and very Eric Carle.
March 11, 2019
The very hungry caterpillar shows up on every page of this birthday book which reminds us we are all special not matter what day it is.
March 11, 2019
Read by a toddler on an unbirthday and still enjoyed finding the caterpillar in each picture.
August 17, 2019
This book was full of the usual bright colors that you expect from Eric Carle. This book was very sweet and would make a nice gift for a child's birthday.
October 16, 2019
Mommy and I love reading this and we sing the Birthday Song at the end.
July 6, 2020
Great birthday present. We love the very hungry caterpillar.
April 6, 2021
A good book but it made me upset it's not my birthday.
July 18, 2023
Cute birthday book - makes a great "birthday card." My son insists on reading it on all our birthdays :)
October 6, 2023
Skip this one. It’s a birthday card and I didn’t like how sentences were not complete on 1 page. The pauses can be confusing for young ones to read. Illustrations aren’t that great either.
January 26, 2024
Aww, the Hungry Caterpillar is so cute and pretty! And so was this book. I especially enjoyed (and related to) the page encouraging one to "enjoy your cake," and the caterpillar was twice his normal size - lol!
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March 17, 2025a very sweet celebratory salutation
November 12, 2025
so cute and a perfect bday gift for my grand nephew!
March 4, 2021
just a way to get people to waste money on gift books
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November 18, 2019#ReadToNibling
This book feels like it's just capitalizing off of the popularity of Eric Carle.
Despite the title, it includes elements from a number of Eric Carle books, not just The Very Hungry Caterpillar (though technically the caterpillar shows up in each illustration, so finding it could be a fun game for kids), and the text isn't particularly interesting -- there's a series of affirmations, followed by a series of activities, and it closes with, "Today you will feel extra special... But always remember, to me, you're special every day."
One reviewer said: "The "story" is really more of a greeting card spread out across pages in a book."
This book feels like it's just capitalizing off of the popularity of Eric Carle.
Despite the title, it includes elements from a number of Eric Carle books, not just The Very Hungry Caterpillar (though technically the caterpillar shows up in each illustration, so finding it could be a fun game for kids), and the text isn't particularly interesting -- there's a series of affirmations, followed by a series of activities, and it closes with, "Today you will feel extra special... But always remember, to me, you're special every day."
One reviewer said: "The "story" is really more of a greeting card spread out across pages in a book."
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews