The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (board book)

When a tiny caterpillar hatches from an egg, the first thing on his mind is food - so off he crawls looking for something to eat.

Over the course of a week, the tiny caterpillar munches his way through all sorts of delicious goodies. Starting with an apple on Monday and working his way through pears, plums, strawberries and oranges by Friday, he leaves a small, caterpillar-shaped hole in each fruit to show where he’s been.

But by Saturday, the caterpillar is still hungry; so he gorges on everything from chocolate cake to salami until finally he is not only full but has a tummy ache! And then the most amazing thing happens, as the caterpillar is transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

This classic picture book with bright, collage-style illustrations has been enjoyed by generations of children for over 50 years and has lost none of its appeal. Little fingers will love to follow the tiny caterpillar through the holes he leaves and to anticipate what he’s going to eat next as the page size increases with his appetite.

And with opportunities to learn colours, numbers and days of the week, this is certainly one of the best picture books ever.