Description ■ A Picture Book That's Both 'Fun and Educational' Rich Information Wrapped in Sensational Design When we want to describe a truly wonderful work, we often call it 'fun and educational.' This book fits that description perfectly. By following the grouchy ladybug through her day, children pick up all kinds of useful information along the way. The grouchy ladybug's day begins at 5 a.m. when she meets a friendly ladybug. From 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., the grouchy ladybug goes on to meet a yellow jacket, a stag beetle, a praying mantis, a sparrow, a lobster, a skunk, a boa constrictor, a hyena, a gorilla, a rhinoceros, an elephant, and finally a whale — and with each new animal she meets, the animal grows larger and larger. Eric Carle cleverly enlarges the size of each illustration as the animals grow bigger, allowing children to intuitively grasp the concept of size through the visuals. He also includes a clock in the corner of each expanding page, helping children learn to tell time along the way. ■ An Artist for Children: Eric Carle Born in Syracuse, New York, Eric Carle (1929–2021) was a beloved picture book creator known for his bold use of color and distinctive collage technique. After studying graphic art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart, Germany, he returned to New York and worked as a graphic designer for The New York Times. It was there that he caught the attention of author Bill Martin Jr., which led him to begin creating picture books. Most of Eric Carle's works begin with small creatures found in nature — caterpillars, spiders, ladybugs, fireflies, seeds, and more. As a child, Carle developed a love of nature while taking walks through meadows and forests with his father, and this fascination became the central theme running through his entire body of work. Rooted in gratitude for nature and love for animals both large and small, Eric Carle's books inspire in children a sense of wonder and reverence for the natural world. "Eric Carle's books are so deep and consistently meaningful because he has a genuine interest in children — in their emotions, their curiosity, their creativity, and their intellectual growth." — Ann Beneduce (editor of The Very Hungry Caterpillar) Eric Carle believed deeply in paying attention to the moment when a young child first leaves home to go to school — a time when children must cross the vast gap between the world of home, safety, play, and feeling, and the world of reason, abstraction, order, and discipline. Carle hoped his books could serve as a bridge across that gap. Combining playful elements like holes to peek through, die-cut shapes, and flaps with educational content such as counting, days of the week, types of fruit, and natural history facts, his books are part toy (home) and part book (school). Eric Carle's heartfelt wish — that children would read, play, and enjoy his books while growing a little each time — shines through in every page he created. ▶ Story Summary At five o'clock in the morning, a friendly ladybug and a grouchy ladybug cross paths by chance. When the friendly ladybug suggests they share some aphids for breakfast, the grouchy ladybug stubbornly insists on eating them all herself. The two nearly come to blows, but the grouchy ladybug — unsure she could actually win — hastily flies off instead. Throughout the day, she goes on to pick fights with animals much bigger than herself: a bee, a praying mantis, a sparrow, a hyena, an elephant, a gorilla, and finally even a whale swimming in the ocean... As readers follow the grouchy ladybug through her eventful day, they'll enjoy a delightful story while also learning how to tell time and understanding the concept of relative size.