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The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle’s Beloved Children’s Book, Now Available as an E-Book

New York, NY – Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar has eaten its way into the hearts of millions of children since it was published in 1969. Today, the iconic picture book is available in e-book for the first time. Featuring an audio reading by Eric Carle himself, the e-book follows the beloved green caterpillar as he eats his way through each day of the week and ultimately transforms into a beautiful butterfly. This is the first book written and illustrated by Eric Carle to be available in e-book format.

Eric Carle said, “I still consider myself a beginner at learning how to use the computer – but I can see how technology and the development of apps, e-books and computers are a part of the evolution of our world. It has been this way since the very beginning. Cave men once wrote stories in pictures on stone; later the book was invented and so on and so forth. So change is inevitable. And I am very pleased and honored that my work is being enjoyed in different formats by so many readers around the world.”

Jen Loja, President, Penguin Young Readers commented, “We are delighted to bring this classic into a brand new e-book format.  For over 45 years Eric Carle’s caterpillar has been teaching children and making them giggle and we’re thrilled to give this beloved story yet another new home.”

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is published in 62 languages in a variety of formats including hardcover, board book, oversized board book, Spanish, bilingual, braille, and now e-book! More than 44 million copies of the book have sold worldwide. Today, every 30 seconds, somewhere in the world, a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is sold.

March 20th is designated “The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day.” Every year, on this first day of spring, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and fans of the book around the country are encouraged to read and celebrate the metamorphosis of this eager, insatiable caterpillar, whose mystical transformation has entertained and enchanted generation after generation of young readers.

Eric Carle (www.eric-carle.com) has illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers, most of which he also wrote. To date, more than 138 million copies of his books have sold around the world. In 2002, Eric and his wife Barbara opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (www.carlemuseum.org) in Amherst, MA, a 40,000 square foot space dedicated to inspiring a love of art among children by introducing them to picture book art by renowned artists from around the world. Visit (www.carlemuseum.org) to find out more about The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. Eric Carle divides his time between the Florida Keys and the mountains of North Carolina.

You can download images of the author and e-book here.

Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson, who own 53 percent and 47 percent, respectively. With nearly 250 independent imprints and brands on five continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 15,000 new titles, and close to 800 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 60 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors.

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