Eric Carle (June 25, 1929 – May 23, 2021) was an American children's author and illustrator. Carle illustrated more than 70 books with some being best sellers. More than 102 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide. His best known work is the 1969 book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" which has been translated into over 50 different languages. 