Eric Carle Research

Eric Carle

Eric Carle’s books are published in many countries and many languages. Some book covers shown may be in languages other than English.

Carle was born in Syracuse, New York in 1929 to German emigrants Johanna and Erich Carle. The family moved back to Germany in the mid-1930s when he was six years old; his mother took the family back to Stuttgart.

Carle was educated there, and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Künste, in Stuttgart. Eric's father was recruited into the German army during World War II and spent eight years as a prisoner of the Russians. "When he came back, he was a broken man. He was, in Eric Carle's own words in a Guardian interview a "sick man, psychologically, physically devastated."

Eric had been sent to the small town of Schwenningen to escape the bombings of Stuttgart. When Eric was 15, the German government conscripted him and other boys of his age to dig trenches on the Siegfried line. Eric’s wife told a reporter that she thinks he still suffers post-traumatic stress from those days. Carle longed to go back to america America, Eric dreamed of returning one day to the United States, so he moved to New York City in 1952 with only US$45 to his name.

When he finally reached America Carle landed a job as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times. He was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War and stationed in Germany with the Second Armored Division and appointed the position of mail clerk. After returning from the service, Carle returned to his old job with The New York Times and later became the art director of an advertising agency.

Writing and illustrating career

After noticing an illustration of a red lobster Carle had created for an advertisement, educator and author Bill Martin Jr asked him to illustrate a story. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This was the result of their collaboration, and became a best seller. This began Carle’s true career; soon he was writing and illustrating his own stories. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed quickly by The Very Hungry Caterpillar.


Style

Eric Carle’s art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His art work is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and colorful images. Many of his books have an added dimension also, such as the very quiet cricket or the Very lonely firefly. Carle's readers often use his work as an example and create collages themselves that they often send to Carle; he receives hundreds of letters each week from his young admirers.

The themes of his stories are usually drawn from his great knowledge and love of nature— an interest shared by most small children. Carle attempts to make his books not only entertaining, but also to offer his readers the opportunity to learn something about the world around them. When writing, Carle attempts to recognize children's feelings, inquisitiveness and creativity, as well as stimulate their intellectual growth; it is for these reasons along with his unique art work that many feel his books have been such a success.

Quotes

“With many of my books I attempt to bridge the gap between the home and school. To me home represents, or should represent; warmth, security, toys, holding hands, being held. School is a strange and new place for a child. Will it be a happy place? There are new people, a teacher, classmates—will they be friendly?
I believe the passage from home to school is the second biggest trauma of childhood; the first is, of course, being born. Indeed, in both cases we leave a place of warmth and protection for one that is unknown. The unknown often brings fear with it. In my books I try to counteract this fear, to replace it with a positive message. I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.” -Eric Carle.