This book gives kids reassurance that you don’t need to be afraid of experiencing new things.

Grover spends a lot of the book like Buster Bluth—hiding behind the doorway, waiting until he’s sure all is okay to enter the room, etc.

Grover learns that there’s little to be afraid of, and I think it’s what made him the happy-go-lucky pre-Elmo hero of Sesame Street. I wish the same happiness and wonder for Lisa’s child! I do hope, though, unlike Buster, that Lisa’s little one gains a healthy respect for seals (not something covered in the book.

I also imagine that Lisa colored a lot as a child.

It reminds kids that their parents will love them, unconditionally, no matter what—even if they stink. And I can attest to the fact that boys do, on occasion, stink.

I hope Lisa enjoys a similar experience.

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” is an all-time classic, which has won numerous awards and accolades since its first publishing back in 1969. It’s even heralded by some as “one of the greatest childhood classics of all time,” which I’d probably agree with.

Written, designed and illustrated by Eric Carle, the funky, vibrant illustrative style—along with the “hole punch” aesthetic that marked the caterpillars trail throughout the book—always captivated me when I was little. And, much later on, it became a regular bedtime favorite for all three of my kids as well.

Hopefully, Lisa’s baby will enjoy it, too!

I want Lisa and her child to have the same experience that my mother and I shared.

One of my pre-school teachers photocopied the whole thing for me so I could take it home and read it, which I would regularly do when I felt like being amused, fascinated, and terrified.

I chose this book because it is about overcoming your fear of the unknown. It seems to say that even if something (or someone) seems strange or different to you, it (or they) could end up being quite nice.

But it’s ultimately up to you to open yourself up to that opportunity!