Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Eric Carle

Growing Up: From Head to Toe

Eric Carle: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

• The rhythmic, repetitive story asks different animals what they see, creating a chain of responses that introduces colors and creatures to children
• It starts with a brown bear, then a red bird, a yellow duck, a blue horse, a green frog, a purple cat, and ends with a teacher and children observing all the animals
• Features bold, colorful collage-style images made from tissue paper and paint, with distinct textures giving animals a layered, hand-crafted look
• Animals appear large and simple, making them easy for young children to recognize and point to
• Repetition in text and illustrations helps anticipate what comes next, reinforcing pattern recognition and memory skills
• Repetitive and predictable sentence structure aids memorization and early literacy
• Supports word recognition, sequencing, and color/animal identification
• Key themes include repetition, color and animal identification, and rhythm in language
• Babies and toddlers develop hand-eye coordination through turning pages, pointing to animals, and imitating gestures
• Children rely on symbolic thinking, as clear images help them associate words with real-world objects

Eric Carle: From Head to Toe

• This interactive movement book has animals demonstrating motions, encouraging children to mimic them
• A penguin turns its head, a giraffe bends its neck, and an elephant stomps its foot
• Each page asks “Can you do it?", engaging young children and encouraging physical movement as they attempt actions
• Features a large defined animal with a simple movement action
• A human child on each page mimics movement, encouraging others to do the same
• Collage technique emphasizes motion, making it clear that characters are actively moving
• Animals' and children's poses convey movement and action
• Primary colors create a strong visual impact
• Characters' body language invites children to engage
• Simple backgrounds keep focus on movements
• Sequential and interactive book follows a predictable pattern
• Child characters say, "I can do it!" fostering self-efficacy
• The movements and variety of animals are fun and engaging
• Each page follows the pattern, “I am a (animal), and I can (action). Can you do it?" encouraging active participation and movement
• Ideal for engaging toddlers in physical activity
• Promotes gross motor skills (bending, stomping, clapping), body awareness, and confidence building
• Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (ages 1-3) → supports toddlers in exploring their abilities independently
• The question "Can you do it?” builds confidence and independence
• Sensorimotor stage transitioning into Preoperational (2-7) → young children learn through action and imitation
• Children are at an active, exploratory stage, mirroring real-life toddlers and preschoolers
• Affirmation “I can do it!" reflects growing autonomy and self-efficacy
• Playful imitation element is lost if the children were adults, making the book less engaging
• The movements might seem less approachable or achievable if the animals were realistic rather than stylized
• A lack of interaction would be reducing its impact on physical development, making it passive rather than active

Eric Carle: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

• Shows a tiny caterpillar who hatches from an egg and eats through different foods each day, starting with one apple, then two pears, three plums, and so on
• He forms a cocoon (or chrysalis) and eventually emerges as a butterfly
• Vibrant and textured illustrations bring the caterpillar's journey to life with interactive die-cut pages with holes
• A gradual shift in colors and food sizes reinforces the caterpillar's growth
• Short/repetitive structure is around counting and the days of the week, introducing words related to food, numbers, and life cycles
• Builds suspense as the caterpillar eats more and more, leading to the transformation into a butterfly
• Life cycle of a butterfly (egg → caterpillar → cocoon → butterfly)
• Counting and sequencing (days of the week, numbers, progression of food)
• Healthy eating vs. overeating
• Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (ages 1-3) → The caterpillar's journey of self-discovery parallels a toddler's growing independence
• Preoperational Stage (ages 2-7) → visual storytelling, predictable sequence, and sensory engagement
• This stage enjoy children
• The caterpillar starts as dependent and instinct-driven (eating everything) but grows into an independent butterfly
• This reflects the transition from toddlerhood to early childhood
• Story would lose its core lesson about growth and patience if the caterpillar were already a butterfly
• Story might focus on learning self-control with food choices rather than natural transformation if the character were a human child

Learning to Trust (Making a Home in the World)

Margaret Wise Brown: Goodnight Moon

• A bunny says goodnight to everything around him– his room, the moon, the stars, and even the quiet noises of the house – before drifting off to sleep
• Illustrates it with cozy, warm-toned colors that gradually darken illustrations helping children recognize time progression and associate night with sleep
• Alternating black-and-white vs. color pages enhance visual tracking skills in infants
• Details evoke a warm, safe space, while minimalist shapes and uncluttered pages prevent overstimulation
• The alternating black-and-white and colored spreads establish a predictable flow
• Supports language acquisition with repetitive phrasing (“Goodnight [object]”) to aide retrieval
• Reinforces repetitive structure fosters security and attachment
• Infants and toddlers develop object permanence
• older toddlers engage in symbolic thought
• Curious but content, it represents a predictable, comforting ritual for the child's emotional regulation

Margaret Wise Brown: The Runaway Bunny

• A young bunny tells his mother he will run away and become something else, but the mother always responds she will find a way to be near him, no matter what he transforms into
• Bunny realizes he cannot escape his mother's love and decides to stay home and be her little bunny
• It Helps toddlers balance independence and security
• Contrast between black-and-white and color pages enhances visual processing
• Provides use of nature-based metaphors to help children connect abstract concepts to real-world objects
• Gives a sense of movement and adventure, expanding across different landscapes with imaginative sequences feel almost like a child's daydream
• Mother's presence in every spread ensures the story remains reassuring
• The rhythmic reinforcing predictability structure, helping with language acquisition
• The mother's constant presence reassures young readers unconditional love & security
• transformations allow symbolic play and creative thinking, supporting imaginative exploration

P. D. Eastman: Are You My Mother?

• A baby bird hatches while his mother is away looking for food, with the baby embarks on a journey to find her.
• He asks various animals/objects/machine and is reunited with his real mother
• The simplicity of character allows children track/follow and reinforce the importance of reunion
• The basic structure helps language skills and the illustrations help with emotions of the main characters

Kevin Henkes: Owen

• Tells the story of Owen, a little mouse attached to his yellow blanket, Fuzzy
• Neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, suggests ways to wean Owen off the blanket before he starts school, but none work
• Owen's parents eventually cut Fuzzy into small handkerchiefs, taking it wherever he goes to respect the child's emotions
• It highlights importance of transitional objects, children manage change while still holding onto what makes them feel safe

Russell Hoban: Bread and Jam for Frances

• Frances insists on eating only bread and jam for every meal, even when the parents offer something different
• Parents let her do what she wants, she decides to eat what everyone else is having, realizing the joy of variety
• Illustrations are gently soft, making the illustrations feel familiar, expressive showing joy ect.
• The text is rhythmic and repetitive, making it engaging and easy for young readers.

Ruth Krauss: The Carrot Seed

• A story about a boy plant the seed caring for it, despite everyone's scepticism, where he continues.
• Minimalised work with repitition to show cause-effect relationship with the book

Mo Willems: Knuffle Bunny

• Trixie goes on an errand and loses her beloved stuff animal, Knuffle Bunny,
• Since Trixie, she desperately tries to communicate her distress to her dad but is isn't able to, eventually the mother gets it.
• Illustrates Innovation unique mix of black-and-white photographs with colorful cartoon characters expressive
• themes include Language Development , parent-child bond and Comfort attachment.

Vera B. William: More, More, More Said the Baby

• Series of short stories about the bonds between children and parents
• warmth of love between families especially diverse