First Winter

by Eric Carle

There are so many ways to spend a chilly winter day. Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar and explore everything winter has to offer!

Welcome winter with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and his friends in this sensory exploration of the season. Discover the very best of this time of snowy days full of play, the sounds of birds chirping atop a snowman, the smell of cookies fresh from the oven, and so much more!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Juvenile, Fiction, Storytime, Nature

16 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 4, 2022

About the author

Eric 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.

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hungry Caterpillar is back and he is going through his very first cold cold winter! I just had to read this one!


I love the Hungry Caterpillar book (and also love the retellings that spawned from it) and so I was delighted to find out about this book when I was looking for a fun Winter-y book to read. It is November when I write this/read the book, but it fits, dang it is cold. The weather is like, oh, I was unnaturally warm 2 weeks ago, I got to make up for that. Here take the cold. shivers and tries to revive her fingers

In this book we see our Very Hungry Caterpillar have a day in the snow. In the cold. Inside with a warm cosy fire. Outside, we see him watch a snowball fight and kinda help with a snowman (well, OK, he is just sitting on the hat, but do you blame him?), we see him inside making snacks (or well, someone is, because I cannot imagine such a tiny caterpillar making those huge cookies and cinnamon buns. But hey, if it works, it works. Plus, he is the very hungry caterpillar, I guess normal caterpillar sized food is just not enough for his tummy. He needs BIG BIG BIG snacks to fill that up. I had fun finding the little guy in every two-page spread.

I agree with the last sentence: “Winter is a season that’s so fun for all.” Yes. Yes. It is cold as heck, but it is a wonderful season. We don’t get snow that much in my country, but when it does it is just perfect. One or two years ago we had quite a bit and I made snow angels in the garden along with tiny snowpeople to put everywhere. And walking in snow, while slippery, is so much fun! And baking cookies is fun all through the year, but there is something extra magical about winter, probably because a warm oven + warm food is perfect for those cold days. XD

I love that the book was rhyming, in a way. XD I am still not entirely sold on all of them. Some you really need to hear aloud. Like slush > touch.

The illustrations are fun once again!

All in all, a perfect book for winter! A fun book for fans of Hungry Caterpillar and winter! I would recommend it.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Yvonne Janot · Rating 3 out of 5]

This audiobook has left me with so many questions. Which colour hat was the caterpillar wearing? Did he wear shoes on all of his feet/ prolegs? Or is he immune to the cold? Was he confused when he first saw snow? Felt threatened maybe? Feared for his life, his future? Did he suffer from SAD as the wintery weeks progressed?

I felt the character could have been explored in more detail therefore this publication just felt rushed to me.
*add pinch of salt* 😉

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one of my son’s Christmas presents was this book. He really loves the Hungry Caterpillar so I thought this would be cute. It’s very meh and almost has nothing to do with the caterpillar. It’s a very nice winter story and the illustrations are beautiful. It’s a great book for 3+ as well. But overall it’s just pretty average at 3/5 stars ⭐️

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. The caterpillar sold out and put his name on any old book. Sub par book about winter.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The caterpillar is just a bit player in this board book about the fun of wintertime. Children play outside on a snowy day.

[Spider · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovely book about winter with gorgeous illustrations, but it has no reason to be a "Very Hungry Caterpillar" book. The very hungry caterpillar is mentioned nowhere in the text of the book. He's present in the illustrations, but he doesn't actually contribute to the scenes. It kind of looks like maybe he was added in after the fact. In fact, they don't necessarily look like new drawings of him. It sort of looks like someone cut out the drawings from the first book and then pasted them over new illustrations that had previously been unrelated. It was a sweet book, but we couldn't help but feel a little cheated. We were in it for the caterpillar.

[Canette Arille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book for children. On a winter day you can spend time at home or outside. The illustrations are beautiful. The Very Hungry Caterpillar appears on several pages of the book, and guides the Reader throughout the story. This is not a typical fairy tale for children, rather it is a story about what You can do on a winter day, and what winter is like. A nice book for children to read, which can also be a gift. Rhyming story.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of titles using Eric Carle’s illustrations being issued since his death, using his art work to form new titles especially in board books.
This one I really like for the rhyming text explaining the joys of winter and the fact the art used in this title forms an entire double board illustration.

Scott County Public Library

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoping a snowy book could provide relief from the 26th day of 100 degree weather! Usual excellent illustrations from Eric Carle and rhyming text describe all the fun winter activities. Young readers will enjoy looking for the hungry caterpillar on each page.

[Anna Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why is this called they Very Hungry Caterpillar's First Winter when the caterpillar is just thrown on the page in a nonsensical way? The text never even mentions the caterpillar. This book used the beloved Very Hungry Caterpillar name to sell a book. Very disappointing book.

[Rubi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but....wasn't really about the Caterpillar. He didn't do much but observe. It's really a book about different winter activities we could do for fun 😊
And winter themed treats....which the caterpillar did get into haha

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

As ever, I am fascinated by the artwork of Eric Carle.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read along as the Very Hungry Caterpillar gives a visual exploration of how to spend a wintery day. Discover the many different things to do both inside and outdoors during the season of winter.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddie loves the original so we read this, and it was fairly fun but has nothing on The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

[Kelly]

Another book like first fall, and the rhymes here were mostly good, not as good as fall, but still something for kids to get a good introduction to things we would consider winter. Cute.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read

[Andrés · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artwork is warm and cheerful, and the winter activities in the text are cozy, too. Nothing about the caterpillar, though! (which is no big deal)

[Bismah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly captures the warm moments of winter.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute as expected. I was surprised to see this book, having only read the classic children’s tale.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! 17 month old enjoyed it!

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew the VHC had so many books? I absolutely love the illustrations in these books and this one really captures the fun and coziness of winter.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this rhyming board book story, Eric Carle's very hungry caterpillar is experiencing many things that would be quite unusual for a real caterpillar in the winter time. Fun illustrations.

[TJE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mom loved