After the tragic passing of the beloved children's author Eric Carle, the internet has been awash with people sharing their memories of the author and how his work impacted their lives.
The massive outpouring of well-wishes for Carle's family just goes to highlight the extent of the impact of his work, as well as answering the question of how his seminal works are still loved after fifty years.
Carle was born back in 1929, and after his death on May 23, his family posted a statement on his official website, writing:
"In the light of the moon, holding on to a good star, a painter of rainbows is now traveling across the night sky."
The Very Hungry Caterpillar remains one of Carle's most popular published works and has to date sold in excess of fifty million copies worldwide!
Despite Carle's story of an incredibly peckish caterpillar being a seemingly simple tale, it has touched the hearts of countless children and adults across the globe and cemented itself as an everlasting tale.
The outpouring of love for Carle has been staggering, with many people thanking Carle for bringing such wonderful stories into the world.
Carle's family have also opened an electronic guestbook on Carle's official website in which people from across the globe can leave such inspirational messages as:
"Eric Carle has been my inspiration throughout my teaching career. Our preschool is caterpillar-themed with all of his wonderful and inspiring books and educational activities. I have taught for 25 years and Eric Carle is the first author my children learn about." — Marion Butlin.
When asked what he thought made The Very Hungry Caterpillar such as successful story, Carle told the BBC:
"For many years, my publisher and editor and I did not know the reason for The Very Hungry Caterpillar being so popular [...] But over time, I've come to feel that it is a book of hope. And it is this hopeful feeling that has made it a book readers of all ages enjoy and remember."
Due to Carle's work being translated into 66 languages and the fact that it is estimated that someone purchases a copy of Carle's work every fifteen seconds, it is hard to imagine that Carle's work will be forgotten any time soon.
It seems harder to find someone who hasn't got a fond memory of reading one of Carle's books, whether it be having read one yourself as a child or having read one to a young family member.
Carle dedicated his life to creating wonderful stories to help and inspire children, and this is a fantastic legacy that will fortunately live on for years to come.
