What do you think?
Rate this book
The Art of Eric Carle
Carle is one of the most beloved illustrators of children's books. This retrospective is more than just an appreciation of his art, however. The book also contains an insightful autobiography illustrated with personal photographs, an anecdotal essay by his longtime editor, a photographic essay on how Carle creates his collages, and writings by Carle and his colleagues. Still, it is the artwork in the oversize volume that seizes the imagination. More than 60 of his full-color collage pictures are handsomely reproduced and serve as a statement of Carle's impressive talent.
- Booklist
- Booklist
120 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1992
7 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
Eric Carle
748 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 26, 2017
Really enjoyed this book a lot. A book filled with beautiful pictures of Eric Carle's work, in which he also talks about his childhood, how he came to study graphic design and eventually became an illustrator. Also nice: he explains step by step how he dyes his coloured sheets and makes his collages.
June 6, 2022
My 3-year-old daughter thinks that only one author has written all the books in the world, and that author is Eric Carle. And if you have ever searched for children's books, I guess you know his name, and his 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar', or 'The Very Busy Spider', or any of his books. I've heard that in every 40 minutes one of the copy of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' is sold somewhere in the world. Looking at my children, I believe this. My two children are totally opposite in character, and they agree on only one point--they like the books of Eric Carle.
This book includes an autobiographic essay from Carle himself and a speech by him at the Library of Congress, and some other essays by his editor and acquaintances. It also includes artworks from his books, and discussions on his ideas and how he works. Everyone agreed on one point--Eric knew how children think, and the child inside him lived through his entire life, and he has given something for every children in his books which are multilayered, both literally and figuratively. Reading his books with my two children, I agree without any doubt, and even if you have never read any of his books, maybe you should read some if you have children. This is a gem for every parent.
This book includes an autobiographic essay from Carle himself and a speech by him at the Library of Congress, and some other essays by his editor and acquaintances. It also includes artworks from his books, and discussions on his ideas and how he works. Everyone agreed on one point--Eric knew how children think, and the child inside him lived through his entire life, and he has given something for every children in his books which are multilayered, both literally and figuratively. Reading his books with my two children, I agree without any doubt, and even if you have never read any of his books, maybe you should read some if you have children. This is a gem for every parent.
August 10, 2019
Interesting book about the artist and his process, although repetative at times.
March 29, 2017
It's amazing
July 23, 2017
Eric Carle is a wonderful illustrator, one of the most creative and original artists in the realm of children's literature of any era. This book is part-biography, part-autobiography, part-survey of his life, style, and influence. It is comprised mostly of essays about the artist and his work by his editors, publishers, and others who have journeyed with him, though Carle himself writes a rather lengthy life-story as well as a rambling transcription of a talk he gave about creativity and inspiration.
The essays are good, not great. The best parts of the book are Carle's autobiography, which is witty, informative, and traces parts of his life that, maybe, some less brave might not include (such as his experience as a child in pro-Nazi Germany prior to the 2nd World War) through to his entry into the career of a children's book author and illustrator. I also was very interested to get an inside view of how he creates his illustrations. I enjoyed the story of the origins of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" the first time; it was shared several more times after that, making me wish that some other stories had been told. There are needless repetitions throughout, though I suppose that might be a function of the compiled essay format--each author just thought to include the same thing, perhaps. Fortunately, they are all well-written. Even better, Carle's vibrant and engaging artwork is showcased throughout--the real standout of the book. The final quarter is entirely selections of his 50+ year career as a professional illustrator, and brilliantly demonstrates his one-of-a-kind style. Overall, a fine read for fans of Eric Carle's work.
The essays are good, not great. The best parts of the book are Carle's autobiography, which is witty, informative, and traces parts of his life that, maybe, some less brave might not include (such as his experience as a child in pro-Nazi Germany prior to the 2nd World War) through to his entry into the career of a children's book author and illustrator. I also was very interested to get an inside view of how he creates his illustrations. I enjoyed the story of the origins of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" the first time; it was shared several more times after that, making me wish that some other stories had been told. There are needless repetitions throughout, though I suppose that might be a function of the compiled essay format--each author just thought to include the same thing, perhaps. Fortunately, they are all well-written. Even better, Carle's vibrant and engaging artwork is showcased throughout--the real standout of the book. The final quarter is entirely selections of his 50+ year career as a professional illustrator, and brilliantly demonstrates his one-of-a-kind style. Overall, a fine read for fans of Eric Carle's work.
June 2, 2021
The Art of Eric Carle is an autobiographical anthology of essays and artwork by Eric Carle and his contemporaries. This book was pushed up in my reading schedule when I heard about the death of Eric Carle on 23 May 2021.
Eric Carle was a German-American designer, illustrator, and writer 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. He 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.
For the most part, this collection of art, autobiography, essays, and photographs was written and constructed rather well. It is an agreeable overview of Carle's life and work, a consideration of the genesis of his ideas, a look at how he fashions his collages, and admiring words from some of his colleagues.
This retrospective is more than just an appreciation of Carle's art, it also contains an insightful autobiography illustrated with personal photographs, an anecdotal essay by his longtime editor, a photographic essay on how Carle creates his collages, and writings by Carle and his colleagues.
Like most anthologies there are weaker contributions and The Art of Eric Carle is not an exception. Well to precise, there were no weak contribution, but stylistically, it seems a tad repetitive as the story of the creation of The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been repeat at least three times.
All in all, The Art of Eric Carle is a wonderful collection that celebrates the life and work of celebrated children picture book artist – Eric Carle.
Eric Carle was a German-American designer, illustrator, and writer 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. He 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.
For the most part, this collection of art, autobiography, essays, and photographs was written and constructed rather well. It is an agreeable overview of Carle's life and work, a consideration of the genesis of his ideas, a look at how he fashions his collages, and admiring words from some of his colleagues.
This retrospective is more than just an appreciation of Carle's art, it also contains an insightful autobiography illustrated with personal photographs, an anecdotal essay by his longtime editor, a photographic essay on how Carle creates his collages, and writings by Carle and his colleagues.
Like most anthologies there are weaker contributions and The Art of Eric Carle is not an exception. Well to precise, there were no weak contribution, but stylistically, it seems a tad repetitive as the story of the creation of The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been repeat at least three times.
All in all, The Art of Eric Carle is a wonderful collection that celebrates the life and work of celebrated children picture book artist – Eric Carle.
November 11, 2021
The Art of Eric Carle is a book that is part autobiography, essays, and art book in one of the author Eric Carle. We all have read at least one book that had his recognizable illustrations at some point in our lives. The first half of the book is Mr. Carle giving us a glimpse into his life behind the books, his childhood during WWII and the love of art and nature that stuck with him that he made a career out of. It is interesting to get to know the man, as it is clear by his words, he had to go through a lot before he hit it big in the children's book world. The following chapters of essays by his editor, a collector, and himself about the influence and legacy of Carle's art in children's reading and then gives into a section that shows how he creates his pieces through paint and colored tissue papers. The real treasure is the final section that splashes snippets of his beautiful artworks over the many books he contributed to over the years and a bibliography up to the most release.
I had read a handful of his books as a child, they were very entertaining and the art was always something that stuck with me even if I didn't always remembered the titles. I read this book out of both interest and honor for Eric Carle, whom I sadly found out had passed on May 23, 2021. He is truly a pioneering figure in children's books and this one adds to the "why" if anyone wants to know, if not, at least read it to see how his style changed around with various publications. This book had been re-released a couple of times since its original publication in 1992, the most recent being this year, 2021. Though the copy I read was in 1996, it would have been nice to see if there any new additions to this book given his passing.
I had read a handful of his books as a child, they were very entertaining and the art was always something that stuck with me even if I didn't always remembered the titles. I read this book out of both interest and honor for Eric Carle, whom I sadly found out had passed on May 23, 2021. He is truly a pioneering figure in children's books and this one adds to the "why" if anyone wants to know, if not, at least read it to see how his style changed around with various publications. This book had been re-released a couple of times since its original publication in 1992, the most recent being this year, 2021. Though the copy I read was in 1996, it would have been nice to see if there any new additions to this book given his passing.
November 15, 2021
The Art of Eric Carle is book that is part autobiography, essays, and art of the man himself. We all have read at least one book illustrated by Eric Carle at some point in our lives and this book gives us a glimpse of his life. From a childhood that was set in Germany during WWII to the lifelong interest in art and nature that he made a career out of, the Carle endured a lot before hitting it big with children's books. Despite this, the autobiographical portion has him looking back fondly of memories and hardships. The following section are a collection of essays written by his editor, a collector, and himself about the influences and impact he had in children's literature, and I fully agree that his unique style is what attracted many young readers even to this day. The real gem is the portion where he shows how he creates his works through paint and colored tissue paper and a section that devotes to snippets of his beautiful drawings he'd done for numerous publications.
Eric Carle is an author whom I read a handful of his books as a kid, one of the earliest ones I could recall. Truly, he was a pioneer in the reading world and this book answers how he did it, a very nice introspective. I had read this out of interest and in honor, as Eric Carle sadly passed away on May 23, 2021. This book had many re-releases since its original publication in 1992, the most recent was this year 2021. I had read the 1996 copy, though I would have loved to see what extra info that was put in the most recent release, but it is still a wonderful read to know of the author who influenced our childhood development in reading.
Eric Carle is an author whom I read a handful of his books as a kid, one of the earliest ones I could recall. Truly, he was a pioneer in the reading world and this book answers how he did it, a very nice introspective. I had read this out of interest and in honor, as Eric Carle sadly passed away on May 23, 2021. This book had many re-releases since its original publication in 1992, the most recent was this year 2021. I had read the 1996 copy, though I would have loved to see what extra info that was put in the most recent release, but it is still a wonderful read to know of the author who influenced our childhood development in reading.
April 1, 2023
I love Eric Carle's books in a huge way, so I thought I would really enjoy a book about his art which is what the title implies this book is about. It isn't. It's about Eric Carle's biography, museum, what other people thought about him. I got so bored. I started to skim the endless text just so I could return the book to the library and get it out of my house.
Finally, on page 72 they had the information I had been waiting for -- an explanation showing how he created his art. I had tried to recreate his art through trial and error, and never managed to pull it off. But here is a step-by-step explanation of exactly how to do it in a 4- page fold-out spread. The three stars I gave are solely for that fold-out spread.
Following the spread are pages of Carle's art. Just that. No commentary. No construction insights. No description of color choices. No nothing. Just reproduced art.
I think the book has value for those who want to do research on Carle. But for a book entitled The Art of Eric Carle, I was very disappointed.
Finally, on page 72 they had the information I had been waiting for -- an explanation showing how he created his art. I had tried to recreate his art through trial and error, and never managed to pull it off. But here is a step-by-step explanation of exactly how to do it in a 4- page fold-out spread. The three stars I gave are solely for that fold-out spread.
Following the spread are pages of Carle's art. Just that. No commentary. No construction insights. No description of color choices. No nothing. Just reproduced art.
I think the book has value for those who want to do research on Carle. But for a book entitled The Art of Eric Carle, I was very disappointed.
April 9, 2021
This book was received as an ARC from World of Eric Carle in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I am always blown away at the work of Eric Carle and how he is such a legend in the children's books industry. This book was so much fun to read and hear about Eric's childhood and the photos were such a treat to see and learning how he grew up and what drew his inspiration. His books continue to do very well at our library and now everyone can see how he came to be and the legendary work he has created. I believe that no matter how much libraries and books will evolve, Eric Carle's books will remain classic.
We will consider adding this title to our JBiography collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I am always blown away at the work of Eric Carle and how he is such a legend in the children's books industry. This book was so much fun to read and hear about Eric's childhood and the photos were such a treat to see and learning how he grew up and what drew his inspiration. His books continue to do very well at our library and now everyone can see how he came to be and the legendary work he has created. I believe that no matter how much libraries and books will evolve, Eric Carle's books will remain classic.
We will consider adding this title to our JBiography collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
April 15, 2022
So interesting to see how master author/illustrator creates his work. There are pictures of the whole process. So many wonderful children's classics were created by Carle. Nice to learn about his life story and reasons he loves writing and making art for children. What a traumatic upbringing during the holocaust and WWII, but all his life experienced made him the man he is today. So glad he decided to share his gift with children. I used the book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?" and the "Busy Spider and Hungry Caterpillar" both for children's literature lesson plans I had to create for my Masters in Elementary Education. My next step is to go to his museum in Massachusetts. If I'm ever blessed enough to have grandchildren, they will own Eric Carle's prints and books in their nursery.
May 17, 2021
There's something comfortable about Eric Carle's art. It appeals to the child in me with it's vibrant colors and deceptively simple collage pieces. Browsing through The Art of Eric Carle is as close as I can get to sitting down with the author and some of the people he surrounded himself with. There's his autobiography written by Carle that includes personal family photographs. A copy of a speech he gave that is an almost exact copy of his autobiography. Then, we move into how he creates his art starting with the tissue paper. Finally, there's a complete catalog of his works with numerous pictures. Interspersed are essays by people who are obviously fond of Carle. I enjoyed the time spent with this one immensely.
June 19, 2019
Art books can be tricky. Always expensive, but not always great. This however, is brilliant. There are lots of colour reproductions of Carle's work, which is important. They're also a decent size so you can really study them. The text is a biography of Carle's life by Carla himself, followed by a series of short, interesting essays from various people who were influential in his life about his art. Fantastically interesting.
August 10, 2021
This is a beautiful memoire and art collection book. I was familiar with Mr. Carle's artwork from his children books and I was pleasantly surprised how he developed as an artist. In addition to his story, there is a section that shows how he created his artwork. The second half of the book shows his artworks. The book is beautiful and if you have ever read one of this books, I would highly recommend this book.
March 30, 2022
A beautifully designed and presented autobiography including text, photos and images of the author's work. Carle, a prolific author/designer of children's books produced this volume which I was happy to add to my collection of art books.
August 18, 2018
Hnhvbm?b
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2018
Honestly, it was worth reading this book just to see the baby picture of Eric Carle.
July 2, 2020
Biografía y obra del escritor e ilustrador de cuentos infantiles
April 19, 2021
Very quick and interesting read. I learned so much about this artist and author. I highly recommend.
October 26, 2022
what a talented man with a beautiful, distinctive style :)
February 21, 2023
Oh Eric Carle, how I wish I could have met you. This book is beyond beautiful. You get to see a bit of inside his life, he love and his legacy. I enjoyed it so so so much.
June 20, 2023
I enjoyed reading about his life. I appreciate that others talked about him, but seemed that the same story was repeated. Awesome to look at his art
December 17, 2023
Fascinating history about Eric’s beginnings and how it evolved into what he’s known for—a brilliant artist that retains the child’s mind for each child to create his or her meaning.
February 29, 2024
A nice, very pretty book
April 9, 2024
Very nice book. If You like Eric Carle books, You should check this one :)
June 14, 2024
Loved this! I particularly enjoyed learning more about Carle's artistic process.
April 19, 2025
Ouuuuuugh
July 15, 2025
I really enjoy Eric Carle.
June 15, 2021
Brilliant artist. Lovely book. R.I.P. Eric Carle.
September 3, 2019
The Art of Eric Carle is about the life of Eric Carle as well as the art. It includes both autobiographical and biographical essays.
My favorite was his Autobiography; A life in words and pictures.
Mr. Carle is not a writer, he's candid about having strongly disliked school after kindergarten, when his family moved to Germany, and not having a consistent education as a child due to war, destruction and evacuation. That said, his writing is spare but pleasingly witty.
His life is interesting, being a kind of a German kid in the US, then an American kid in Germany, finally returning to the U.S. as an adult and eventually becoming one of the most recognized children's artists of all time.
He shares photographs of his life, and memories of wartime, hunger, and corporal punishment in Hitler's Nazi Germany, as well as friendship, family, and teachers who impacted him in both negative and positive ways. And he shares the inspiration and motivation behind his work.
"I attempt to have many levels in my books: funny animals, exciting colors, a story, humor, entertainment, mystery, emotional content - and learning. Depending on the child's interest, ability, or curiosity, he or she can select the level where he or she feels comfortable. Some of these levels can and should be demanding and challenging. We just as often fail to address the "gifted" child as we neglect the "slow" child.. There are many kinds of young readers; each one is an individual and finds something different, something special, in a book."
I appreciated the section How Eric Carle Creates His Art; A photo essay on his technique. I recently created an Eric Carle inspired art project for children at our library, and felt a kinship as I read this.. I didn't know his exacrt technique at the time, but all the flat spaces in my home looked very much like his studio as I had messy fun painting textures and colors on thin paper to be later used for collage.
I found some of the biographical essays more engaging and interesting than others. Some of the text was repetitive. But I enjoyed learning about Eric Carle. And while the oversized pages contain many columns of text, they also includes his art, which really is the star of the show and a brilliant contribution to the world.
My favorite was his Autobiography; A life in words and pictures.
Mr. Carle is not a writer, he's candid about having strongly disliked school after kindergarten, when his family moved to Germany, and not having a consistent education as a child due to war, destruction and evacuation. That said, his writing is spare but pleasingly witty.
His life is interesting, being a kind of a German kid in the US, then an American kid in Germany, finally returning to the U.S. as an adult and eventually becoming one of the most recognized children's artists of all time.
He shares photographs of his life, and memories of wartime, hunger, and corporal punishment in Hitler's Nazi Germany, as well as friendship, family, and teachers who impacted him in both negative and positive ways. And he shares the inspiration and motivation behind his work.
"I attempt to have many levels in my books: funny animals, exciting colors, a story, humor, entertainment, mystery, emotional content - and learning. Depending on the child's interest, ability, or curiosity, he or she can select the level where he or she feels comfortable. Some of these levels can and should be demanding and challenging. We just as often fail to address the "gifted" child as we neglect the "slow" child.. There are many kinds of young readers; each one is an individual and finds something different, something special, in a book."
I appreciated the section How Eric Carle Creates His Art; A photo essay on his technique. I recently created an Eric Carle inspired art project for children at our library, and felt a kinship as I read this.. I didn't know his exacrt technique at the time, but all the flat spaces in my home looked very much like his studio as I had messy fun painting textures and colors on thin paper to be later used for collage.
I found some of the biographical essays more engaging and interesting than others. Some of the text was repetitive. But I enjoyed learning about Eric Carle. And while the oversized pages contain many columns of text, they also includes his art, which really is the star of the show and a brilliant contribution to the world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews