This book made Eric Carle the household name that he is today. Apparently, this book simply introduces the concept of metamorphosis to young kids in a way that they might be able to comprehend. The story follows the life cycle of a caterpillar from the time it hatches from an egg till the time it forms a chrysalis and finally becomes a beautiful butterfly. These are probably the most popular take-aways from the children’s book for all age-groups:
Kids (early childhood) - For kids that are picky eaters and parents struggle to introduce any new food, this one is worth a shot. I resorted to this book for the very reason and reading it every day with tons of emphasis on the variety of food items, I did have some successes. But this book has such strong undertones of life lessons that I came to value it more with every passing day.
Teenagers - Every living being goes through different phases to become the person they are supposed to be. In the end, we all shall find the beauty of a butterfly even though we might have to go through certain awkward and unsure stages (read teenage/ early adulthood) like the caterpillar.
Parents/ Adults - Finally, the book discusses the effect of human greed and gluttony. The consequence of a binge eating spree on Saturday, much like our weekend binging (be it food or Netflix), is an unhealthy discomfort. It makes the caterpillar go back to consuming one green leaf on Sunday. I believe this is us abandoning the race to satiate our material desires and returning to simple values and life choices.
I hate to add COVID made us abandon a lot of undesirables and realize what is actually important for a holistic life. But, I really miss shopping in malls, enjoying brunches in restaurants, and watching movies in theatres without the constant fear of contracting infections.
Meanwhile, here is me reading the book to my toddler, who doesn’t seem to appreciate the caterpillar but comes around in the end when he sees the butterfly.
