Greetings for the Caterpillar!

Here's what others have said:
William, age 2 Exeter, Devon, UK, Happy Birthday lovely Caterpillar! I loved the book as a child and now my little boy ADORES it! I read him the story and he counts the holes! Here's to another wiggly 40 years!

Mrs. Karnes Kindergarten Class Parsley Elementary Wilmington, Nc Happy 40th Anniversary! We love your books. We love your illustrations.

Elise Hernandez, 3 years, Brownsville,Texas Dear beautiful caterpillar, My grand-ma and I want to wish you a very happy 40th birthday, she bought me this book when I was very little and now I can read it to her.She also read it to all her kinder classeswhen she taught. We love you, happy bithday wiggly caterpillar, Elise and grand-ma Frances

Eunie'class 3,4,5 year old, JDC Jackson Height, new york Eunie's class enjoy reading this story over and over.Thank you, Mr Carle. Eunie'class

Mrs. VanEngen's First Grade class, Manatee Cove Elementary, Orange City Fl. You have very nice art we think it is neat and cool. Happy 80th Birthday! We like the book, The Very Hungy Caterpillar. We like all of your books. We love you!

Malachy 21 months, Coventry CT Happy Birthday Mr. Caterpillar!!!!

Jack 4 yrs, Danville, CA I have many of your books Eric. I just made my first collage. I am an artist just like you.

zachary Dear Caterpillar, I just wanted to wish you and your creator a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I really enjoy your stories and I read them all the time at home and at school. Well don't eat too much food caterpillar. I Love You,Zachary

Mia, 4 Buenos Aires Argentina Happy Birthday dear Caterpillar!!!!

magda, Veria Greece happy birthday,PILLAR!open your wings

jimmy, veria greece happy birthday to you

Gulat, veria greece Happy birthday my baby Buterful

John thomogloy, veria greece happy barthay

George, veria greece Happy birthday Caterpillar

Alexander, Webster New York You have wiggled your way into so many hearts! My children, now my grandchild Alex AND now I see your wonder worked into hearts of children who go to visit Strong National Museum of Play where I work! Eat some birthday cake! from us all here in New York!

Mrs. Sutton's First Grade, Glendale Kenly Elementary School Happy 40th Birthday!! Why do you eat so much? You have pretty green skin. Why are you so big? I like your pretty red face. Why do you have funny eyes? When you turn into a butterfly, you have different beautiful colors on your wings. Mr. Carle, you made the best book ever. We love you. Bye.

Emily, age 2 Ft. Bragg, NC Little Emily loves her caterpillar friend!

Miss Amanda's First Grade Class Lawrenceburg, TN We love all of the Eric Carle books, but especially The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Happy 40th Birthday! P.S. You are older than our teacher!

Mrs. Pitt's First Grade Class Glendale Kenly Elementary Dear Eric Carle, You do very good art work and you write very good books. We hope that you have a wonderful 80th birthday and we love "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." We love you. Mrs. Pitt's Kids

Mrs. Geer's Kindergarten Class High Point Academy, Pasadena, CA We love the Hungry Caterpillar story! We watched the movie and read your book! We are writing our own class story about our hungry caterpillar and we are making the Hungry Caterpillar-all in the style of Eric Carle! And all because of this special 40th Birthday! Happy Caterpillar Birthday! ps Will the Hungry Caterpillar eat an entire Birthday cake to celebrate your Birthday?

Carlie, Altadena My Gramma gave me the caterpillar for my birthday. I like to play and make it eat when she reads the book with me. Happy Birthday little green caterpillar!

josh 9 mocomb il hiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ethan La Prad mocomb il HI,you make my brothers happy. Happy 40th brithday.

Oliver 9 Macomb,IL hi my lil bro. likes your books and his name is peyton and were from british

Noelle flyn Macomb,IL Hello catipller how are you with Eric Caril.

Michael Southerland, macomb,IL,Lincoln school Hi Eric Carle i love your book the hungry catapiller.

Oliver 9, Macomb,IL are you making a another book TTYL message back peace out my hommie

Gabrielle 8, Macomb,IL hello,my name is Gabrielle.i LOVE your book.what hapend you turd to a buterfly?how are you doing?i hope you will be in anouther book! your friend,Gabrielle

hunter.g, macomb il hi caterpiller will you have a nother book ? where were you born?

Angelina 9, Macomb,IL Hello my name is Angelina I Love your book!Your book is great!How can you turn into a butterfly?the pictures are beautiful! Sincerly Angelina

Julin 14 yrs.old, Bloomington How are you Eric Carle. I love your museum how much time did it take you to make all that money. Thank you for making the books. My little bro loves you he is allways talking about you.

Jillian, 20 years old and Byron, 28 years old, Great Neck New York Happy Birthday to a Caterpillar who has brought joy to so many children in the last 40 years. Even the older kids remember and love you and enjoy sharing with you with children of all ages!!

Dr. Mary Ann Bell, TLA Workshop Participation, Houston, TX
Dear Hungry Caterpillar, I am showing a bunch of fans of yours around this museum! We think you are the bee's knees! Oops maybe that is not a compliment to you. We think you rule! Love, Your Fans in Texas

Megan, age 6, Herndon, Virginia You are pretty. I like the book.

quincy, age 7 Happy Birthday, 'Pillar!

Miguelina,Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! MY 2ND GRADE CLASS ALREADY SENT A BUTTERFLY AND A GREETING CARD HOPE YOU LIKED IT. THE KIDS REALLY ENJOYED YOUR ART WORK AND WERE VERY EXCITED!!! GREETINGS FROM THE DR!

lindsey 7, port st lucie, FL USA Dear Caterpillar, why did you eat so much? Now you will be very hungry. Happy birthday to you.

Ms. Millette-Kelly's class, Wellfleet Elem You eat alot! Who's your owner? Good luck becoming a beautiful butterfly. Watch out for birds!

Arunima, Pune, India Dear Hungry Caterpillar, I turned 4 years old last week and you turn 40!  My mom gave me your book for my birthday and I love it.  Happy Birthday to you!

Mrs. Anderson's 2nd Grade Class, Wilmiington, NC Happy Birthday Eric Carle and the Hungry Caterpillar! Our class just read the book titled "The Mountain That Loved a Bird" which Mr. Carle illustrated.  We really enjoyed it. When will your next book be available?  We cannot wait.

Maupin's Class K class Dear caterpillar, Now that you are a butterfly, be careful do not get eaten by a bird.  Why were you so hungry?  Have you flown over Houston? Do you like Honey? Thank you,  Mrs. Maupin's Class

Denise's Kids Home Day Care, Fredericksburg VA We Love you!  Happy Birthday! keep up the great work, we love your books

dayanna, Schnectady, NY I love this book!Well got to go.Have a good day.

Lucas 10, Schnectady, NY Hey catterpiller, Wishin ya the best birthday EVER! your cool! Awsome! you are an amazing insect! so cool! Well, gotta go!

Shining Stars Pre-K  Class 4 and 5 year olds, J & J CDC  New Brunswick NJ Happy Birthday from the pre-class (shining stars) at the J& J CDC. You look great for 40 and you will never get to old for us to read. We will be reading your books to our children and grandchildren.We are learning your art technique so we can make our own books. We will send you pictures of all our art work. We are also learing the days of the week. Happy Birtday to Eric Carle also. Love The Shining Stars.

JW, Hosack Elementary School, Pittsburgh PA Check out our web site for a video of the world's largest hungry caterpillar, thanks Mr. Carle!! http://www.northallegheny.org/schools/hes/2005-2006/Library/library.htm

Anna Clotilde McLean Torres, ten months, Windsor, Ontario, Canada Happy Birthday, Caterpillar, and many happy returns of the day! Congratulations, also, to proud Papa Eric Carle. (Anna's Daddy is called Eric, too.) Anna loves you, Caterpillar, and so do I (Sasha). It is a blessing to read books you loved as a kid to your own baby. Thank you so much for the joy, tenderness, and wonder you have shared with us. Bless you.

Ms Foster's Introductory English Class: kindergarten non-English speakers, Hughes Primary ACT Australia Dear Caterpillar, Happy 40th birthday! We all love your story and how you teach us lots of English words about food and the days of the week.We are going to make our own caterpillars and butterflies. Thank you Eric Carle too.

Tanishq & Tiara A., 5 1/2 yrs, 3 yrs, Sacramento, CADear Very Hungry Caterpillar, Wish you a happy 40th!. You look young and will stay young forever in our hearts! I read this book all by myself when I was 4 years old and now I read it to my little sister who enjoys it. On March 21st we went to your party here at Borders book store and made few pictures about you. I love to read books and just like the hungry caterpillar, I am hungry for all the good stuff I can get in your books!

Casey-4 Aubrey-2, Roseville, CAHappy Birthday Caterpillar! You are a legend in our home! Not only did I grow up with this book, but I am now a kindergarten teacher, and our grade-level has decided on an "Eric Carle Theme" for our Open House this year! And of course, my own children are big fans...we even have a copy in the car!

Matteo Madonna 9 anni classe 4 scuola primaria, Roma Italia Happy birthday hungry caterpillar! You were one of my first readings. I have always loved the stories of Eric Carle when I was little and even now that I grew up when my mother who is a professional reader reads the expressive caterpillar hungry young children and I smile when I remember my mother at night in my bed reading that book for me, you're still in my heart ... Matteo

Amberlea (11) Brynlea (10) and Blake (6), Christchurch, New ZealandWe all LOVE you. You were our mum's favourite book when she was a little girl and we have grown up knowing the story off by heart. Best wishes for a great 40th from down under!

Zo Guthrie 36, San Francisco, CA Hello lovely caterpillar! My sister saw your cousin in the Presidio the other day. We both love you and wish you a happy 40th!

Andres, 6 years, Downers Grove, IL I like how you ate that saturdai because you ate food that i like...maybe if I eat the food that you ate I will be a butterfly too! Happy 40th Brithday! You are my mommy's age!

paul 6 jahre, germany best wishes from germany I read it so many times with my little son and it is until now a newer ending story

Mrs. Martin's second graders class Plymouth, Minnesota We celebrated your anniversary today and had so much fun!  We love your books and we love the hungry caterpillar that sits in our room.  Soon we will be doing collage art in class just like you. Have a fun party!! Love the Google home page.

George 2 Quincy Happy Birthday Caterpillar!  We love reading about your adventure very much...you have great taste in food!  George & Mommy

Airell D, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada I remember reading these books when I was young I had many of Eric Carle's books.  They bring back such fond memories.  I am 21 now but tonight I am definitely going to curl with a good children's book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"  :) Happy 40th Anniversary!!!

The Superstar Class, ages 3 through 6 Marti Anderson (teacher), Herman Multicultural Arts School, Milwaukee, WI Happy birthday, dear Caterpillar. Our class was wondering if after forty years you are still hungry? We are always hungry -- for learning, for books, for adventures, for challenges, for friendships, for ideas and for life!!! You and the other creations by the terrific Eric Carle have helped to both provide us with sustenance and inspire our continuing hunger and thirst. We know that such hunger and thirst are what will give us wings. Thank you, and again Happy Birthday!

Myah, age 7, Butte LaRose, Louisiana Hi Caterpillar, You're funny! I like in The Very Hungry Caterpillar when you eat all kind of junk food. Then you build that cocoon. And then when you come out, you turn into a very beautiful butterfly! I love reading about you. Your friend, Myah

Lucrecia Arenas, Lima, Peru I am from Peru and 8 years ago I worked as a nannie in Germany for a year A good memory I have is reading over a thousand times "Die Kleine Raupe Nimmerstatt" to my dearest Lenni and Fredi. I Can't wait to read the same book to my own kids one day. Happy Anniversary!!!!!

Morgan S. 4 years old Dear Caterpillar, Happy 40th Birthday! I loved you when I was little, and Morgan now loves you too. We donated a biiiig book about you to our nursery which featured in a home video! So pleased that you are going strong. We also think you look wonderful as a butterfly! p.s. were you in The Butterfly Ball? xxx

Harrison 3, Norfolk, VA Happy 40th Birthday Caterpillar!!! We enjoy your story very much!

Rebecca G., Bailey, Colorado and Northampton, Massachusetts Happy Birthday, Caterpillar. Bless your fuzzy little heart! Enjoy the special celebration at the museum, but don't eat too much pizza and cake.

MC SP 8, Decatur happy birthday, catepillar! hope you have a great birthday meal!

All the children at Crawford Prep, La Lucia (6 - 13), Durban, South Africa We wish we could send you bananas for Africa to celebrate your 40th Anniversary. Making butterflies to send to Amherst for your birthday party was such a lot of fun. Enjoy!

Lucas, age 2, Hudson, MA I like to stick my fingers into the holes you left in all the food! Happy Birthday Caterpillar!

Samantha, Torrance, CA Happy Birthday, Caterpillar! I love this book and help my sister Hannah read it too. She can read only a little bit. We like this book very much together! are you full yet?

Room #11, 9, 10 & 11 years old, El Cajon, California Dear Mr. Carle and Caterpillar,Happy, happy 40th Birthday. WE LOVE YOUR BOOKS AND WE LOVE THE CATERPILLAR. We sure wish you could come visit us at Magnolia school in El Cajon California, in San Diego county. Love, Madison, Makayla, Karli, Alex, Danielle, Jai'kel, Seanna, Shannon, Luis, Lawrence, Cody, Austin, Angel, Joseph, Mayra and Tyrone, Mrs. O'Hara and Mrs. Hall

Rosemary Fulford Fred A. Anderson Elementary School in Bayboro, NC I took my son, Dustin Bowles, who is now 23 to meet Eric Carle and to attend one of his presentations in Wilson, NC when he was only 6 years old. He emailed me this morning and said, "Hey Mom, check out the Google Website." The page has your picture and design on it in honor of your 40th anniversary. We still have your autographed book in our home and we passed it along to my second child, a daughter named Haylee Bowles. I also took one of the copies from our library and had it autographed by Mr. Carle. You have inspired both of my children and me! I have worked at Anderson Elementary School for 25 years and I still love reading your book and sharing it with children!! Happy Anniversary. Rosemary Fulford

Francisco 4, Howard Branch, Hammond Public Library I just read La Oruga Muy Hambriente to Francisco, age 4. He is very shy and does not speak English.

emiliano, mexico I love your book, it`s the fist gift for my baby and I read all the nightdays.He is 3 years now and he loves you little caterpillar, you`re his bestfriend never forget HAPPY BIRTHDAY you`re always in our heart and mind

Jennie Law, All these years, all that salami - hopefully you are finally full!

The ducklings 4 mos to 16 Mos, St. Paul, mn We are all learning to eat different foods and we reall admire a creature who likes to eat. Of all the many things you ate, what was favorite? Our teachers all over 13 so this message is okay

Hendrik (7) and Arden (12), Germany Alles Gute zum Geburtstag liebe Raupe Nimmersatt! Happy Birthday dear Catepillar - don't get a tummyache!

Anthony - 25, MassYou have been my favorite book since I was a kid. In a way, I blame you for not allowing me the opportunity to grow up. Your book has brought so many fun times and will bring many more, I'm sure.

Haggerty School, ages 4-13We honor and treasure you today! Keep up the great work and Party On!

Nicholae 5 yrs, Pitman, NJHappy Birthday, hungry caterpillar! Now you are as old as my dad! enjoy some cake today...but don't eat too much or your belly will hurt.

Brianna 18, Beer Sheva, IsraelHappy Birthday Catipiller Shabbat Shalom and have the best meal you have ever had!

Lizzie 17, Traverse City, MI Hello Mr. Caterpillar, my lunch starts soon, I am hungry too!

Joyce, Bonsall School Library Eat well today, on the first day of Spring 2009! Happy Birthday, Little Caterpillar!

Charlie Ann, Bristol UK Happy 40th Anniversary Cattipiller x #<:o)

Molly, Kentucky, United States Hello, Caterpillar! One of my favorite memories of being a child was when my mother read your book to me. I remember it fondly and can't wait to read your book to my children one day.

Oren, Massachusetts Your book was the first book my Uncle Matthew read. Right now I just love sucking on your purple antennae. Happy 40th from Nonna and me.

Lilli and Mira, 9 and 5, Florence, Massachusetts Happy Birthday Caterpillar! Eat your cake!

Michiel, Renee and Nicky, The Netherlands congratulations! Do not eat too much today (-:

Klaas, Netherlands Happy birthday caterpillar. Almost as old as I am now, I remember meeting you a long time ago.

Librarian, Lis Sycamore Elementary School, Claremont, Californias What a great way to celebrate 40 - Seeing you eat through the fruits embellishing "Google" on the internet

Roman, age 2 , Massachusetts Happy Birthday Caterpillar!

McKenna and Brynn, age 8 and 6, Massachusetts Happy Birthday to our friend the caterpillar who became a beautiful butterfly! You have always been one of our favorite books!

Jack & NIck H, Northampton, MA, You don't look a day over 39!

Saoirse, age 2 1/2, Massachusetts Happy Birthday cake Caterpillar