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Do You Want To Be My Friend?

by Eric Carle

Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 3+

Published by Puffin, 1979

  • Classics
  • Picture books

About this book

'Do you want to be my friend?' Asked just once, this simple question starts a little mouse's journey through this almost wordless picture book, seeking the perfect companion.

Mouse considers a veritable menagerie of animals; on each page, he meets only a tail, then, over the page, the tail’s owner (and potential friend) is revealed – although none of them is quite right.

Finally, mouse meets another mouse: 'Do you want to be my friend?' 'Yes!' comes the reply!

The repetitive pattern of this book has a lovely simplicity. It is fun guessing the animals and comparing sizes and shapes, and the illustrations’ vivid colours and boldly visible brushwork inspire creativity - and there's a guest appearance by the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

About the author

Eric Carle has illustrated more than seventy books, and more than 88 million copies of his books have sold around the world.

He is one of the best-known and loved of picture book creators. His work is immediately recognisable through his vibrant use of colour and tissue-paper collage. Eric Carle's most famous book is, of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

In the mid 1960s, Carle decided to give up a successful career in advertising to become an illustrator and graphic designer. His first published work appeared in a cookery book. Soon afterwards, children's book author Bill Martin asked him to illustrate the manuscript of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? The resulting book was an instant hit. Encouraged by this success, Carle began submitting ideas for his own books. One of these was Willie The Worm. His editor suggested that a caterpillar might prove a more endearing character - the rest is history.

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