21 BEST Eric Carle Inspirational Quotes on Adulting

Eric Carle is a world-renowned author and illustrator of children’s books. He is best known for his book, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar.’  He was a talented man who’s wisdom transcended generations. In this article, we will look at all the BEST Eric Carle inspirational quotes to help you succeed in life as an adult.

brightly colored collage of overlapping paint strokes with an Eric Carle Inspirational Quote on a teal overlay in the center

Related Article: Timeless Wisdom and Quotes for All Stages of Life


About Eric Carle

Eric Carle (June 25, 1929-May 23, 2021) was born in New York but moved with his family to Germany where he lived until 1963. He was a German-American designer, illustrator, and writer of children’s books. He was best known for his book, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar,‘ which was written in 1969.

— Eric Carle was passionate about creating books that were both entertaining and educational.  He wrote and illustrated more than 70 books for young children, selling more than 160 million copies worldwide. His books have been translated into more than 60 languages.

— Eric Carle attended art school in Stuttgart, Germany. After graduating from art school, He worked as a graphic designer for an advertising agency.

— In 1963, Eric Carle and his wife, Barbara, moved to the United States. Eric began working as a freelance illustrator for children’s magazines.

— Eric Carle says his career as an illustrator and children’s book author took off after he collaborated on ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?’  He has expressed that this was his first important book that helped launch his career as a writer and illustrator.

— In 2003, Eric Carle was awarded the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now called the Children’s Literature Legacy Award) by the American Library Association, a prize for writers or illustrators of children’s books published in the United States who have made lasting contributions to the field.

— Eric Carle has received more than 20 awards for his contributions to to children’s literacy. He is celebrated as a children’s author whose books have been cherished by many through the generations.

— Eric Carle’s art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His books are illustrated in beautiful, bright colors. His artwork is created in a collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. He has said that his characters, who are usually animals, are inspired by walks in nature as a child with his dad in Germany.

I think at some point, everyone needs some Eric Carle inspirational quotes in their lives!

paint brush strokes in bold bright colors on a textured surface with one of many great Eric Carle Inspirational Quotes on a blue overlay in the center

Eric Carle Inspirational Quotes

Enjoy these famous Eric Carle quotes and let his words inspire you in your journey through life! Although he was a writer and illustrator of children’s picture books, he had great wisdom to share.

1 – “We have eyes, and we’re looking at stuff all the time, all day long. And I just think that whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful, tasteful, appealing, and important.”

2 – “I do my best to simplify and refine, to be logical and harmonious.”

3 – “I also try to keep an open mind, to listen to my intuition and allow for the unexpected, the coincidental.” 

4 – “Ultimately, my aim is to entertain, and sometimes to enlighten, the child who still lives inside of me.”

5 – “One day I think it’s the greatest idea ever that I’m working on. The next day I think it’s the worst that I’ve ever worked on – and I swing between that a lot. Some days I’m very happy with what I’m doing, and the next day I am desperate – it’s not working out! And then finally, it’s just right – and that just right, it’s just a feeling. There’s nothing scientific about it.”

6 – “The hardest part is developing the idea, and that can take years.”

7 – “Simplify, slow down, be kind. And don’t forget to have art in your life – music, paintings, theater, dance, and sunsets.”

8 – “I knew even as a child that, when I grew up, I would be an artist of some kind. The lovely feeling of my pencil touching paper, a crayon making a star shape in my sketchbook, or my brush dipping into bright and colorful paints — these things affect me as joyfully today as they did all those years ago.”

9 – “You little insignificant caterpillar, can grow up into a beautiful butterfly and fly into the world with your talent. Will I be able to do that? Yes you will.”

10 – “If you want to change the world, start with one child.”

11 – “The secret to my success is that I never, ever give up.”

12 – “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” story is about hope. You, like the little caterpillar, will grow up, unfold your wings and fly off into the future.

13 – “One Sunday morning the warm sun came up and – pop! – out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar.”

14 – “In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.”

15 –He built a small house, called a cocoon, around himself. He stayed inside for more than two weeks. Then he nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out and… he was a beautiful butterfly!”

16 – “They are deceptively simple. I admit that. But for me, all my life I try to simplify things. As a child in school, things were very hard for me to understand often, and I developed a knack, I think. I developed a process to simplify things so I would understand them.”

17 – “I also try to keep an open mind, to listen to my intuition and allow for the unexpected, the coincidental.”

18 – “I try to express the essence of my stories and ideals very clearly, using simple shapes.”

19 – “I often tell people about the four magic letters: DO IT. I want to be encouraging but I can only offer the example of my own experience, which is just one approach. There are many wonderful picture book artists to learn about, which is important. But you must use your own imagination. You have to just do it.”

20 – “Over time I have come to believe many children can identify with the helpless, small, insignificant caterpillar, and they rejoice when it turns into a beautiful butterfly. I think it’s a message of hope. It says: I too can grow up. I too can unfold my wings and fly into the world.”

21 – “Whether it’s a coffee cup, or a poster, or a book illustration, or a typeface, it has to be designed in such a way that it is not trashy, and doesn’t pollute your eye. We have so much pollution out in the air. Our eyes are being polluted. We have visual pollution out there, and I have a very strong sense about that.”


Related Article: 29 Find Your Path Quotes: Amazing Inspiration for Your Journey Through Life


The Very Hungry Caterpillar Story by Eric Carle

This story in itself is very inspirational and gives the reader HOPE… read the words and reflect on the life lessons you can learn from it. I have always enjoyed reading this one to my elementary school students and my grandchildren.

In the light on the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.
One Sunday morning, the warm sun came up and POP! – out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar.
He started to look for some food. On Monday he ate through one apple, But he was still hungry.
On Tuesday, he ate through two pears, But he was still hungry.
On Wednesday, he ate through three plums, But he was still hungry.
On Thursday, he ate through four strawberries, But he was still hungry.
On Friday, he ate through five oranges, But he was still hungry.
On Saturday he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of swiss cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake, and one slice of watermelon. That night he had a stomachache!
The next day was Sunday again. The caterpillar ate through one nice green leaf. And after that he felt much better.
But now he wasn’t hungry anymore. And he wasn’t a little caterpillar anymore. He was a big fat caterpillar.
He built a small house around himself, called a Cocoon, And he stayed inside for more than two weeks.
Then he nibbled a hole in the cocoon, pushed his way out, and
He was a beautiful butterfly.

brightly colored collage of overlapping colors with an Eric Carle Inspirational Quote on a red overlay

Other Books by Eric Carle

These are some of the most popular books that were written and/or illustrated by Eric Carle. Many of his 70+ books were best sellers. You can find them on Amazon and in most book aisles where they sell children’s books:

  • 1967, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (illustrator)
  • 1969, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • 1977, The Grouchy Ladybug
  • 1984, The Very Busy Spider (illustrator)
  • 1986, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me
  • 1986, All in a Day (Mitsumasa Anno editor)
  • 1990, The Very Quiet Cricket (illustrator)
  • 1991, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (illustrator)
  • 1997, From Head to Toe (illustrator)
  • 2000, Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? (illustrator)
  • 2003, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (illustrator)
  • 2007, Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? (illustrator)
orange yellow black green and red collage of paint strokes on a textured surface with one of many great Eric Carle Inspirational Quotes written in the center on a green overlay

Final Thoughts: Eric Carle Inspirational Quotes for Adults

I hope these Eric Carle inspirational quotes have reminded you to be creative and motivated in your pursuits and dreams through life’s journey Don’t let anything interfere with your dreams and desires. Shoot for the moon!

Save these quotes in a safe place where you can access them for encouragement and reminders.

You may also enjoy these inspirational quotes:

Love to ALL! ~ Susan

Which Are Your Favorite Eric Carle Inspirational Quotes?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below:)

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