Happy Birthday, Eric Carle!

Today is the 80th birthday of artist Eric Carle, the beloved author and illustrator of numerous picture books for children, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar. More than 29 million copies of the picture book have been sold worldwide since it was first published 40 years ago. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has a special exhibition in honor of Carle's 80th birthday and the Caterpillar's anniversary. 80/40: Celebrating the Birthdays of Eric Carle and The Very Hungry Caterpillar will be on exhibit at the Amherst, Massachusetts museum through August 30, 2009. Thanks to About.com Family Crafts Guide Sherri Osborn, you can extend your children's enjoyment of the book by making a story sack for The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

(Cover art courtesy of Philomel Books)