Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a perennial favourite with children and adults alike. Its imaginative illustration and clever cut-out detail charts the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through the week.

This board book edition of what is surely a classic picture book is glossy, sturdy and ideal for curious little hands to get to grips with. (Ages 9 months to 2 years)--Susan Harrison

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,5 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

With its lovely, humorous illustrations and wonderful narrative about a hungry caterpillar growing up to be a beautiful butterfly, Eric Carle's story touches anyone who still has some growing to do. Along with reassuring repetition--"He was still hungry"--the book includes some wonderful interactive moments: what youngster can resist sticking a finger through that hole in the page as his ravenous friend makes his way through various delicacies?

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,5 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

I can't stop reading this fantastic work of English, 07 Feb 2001
I read this book outside, inside, on trains, on bikes, on walks, in cars, busses and ghost trains, but my favourite place to read this book is.......on the toilet. It's the best book ever and anyone out there who hasn't heard of the very hungry caterpillar should STARVE to death!!

I can't get over this amazing piece of English literature, 06 Feb 2001
As you may already know from my previous review that I bought this book for my kids!! I love reading it though, especially under the glow of a sunset, it really makes the colours of the pictures show. The book is really well written with amazing English that I just can't get over!! I have bought other books writen by the same auther, they are good but not as good as this book.

I can't get over this incredible piece of English literature, 05 Feb 2001
I have read this book a lot, to my children, to myself mostly though. I especially like reading it under eclipses because the real beauty of the colours in the book really show! I love this book

An amusing and engaging book. Favourite with my kids., 16 Jul 2000
This has been a favourite with both my children. The pictures are clear and amusing and the text is simple but never boring. Both kids asked me to read it them again and again and could soon tell me what was written on each page. A must.

A very educational piece of literature for the younger aged., 28 Jun 2000
I bought this fantastic piece of English work from Amazon, my children adored it and insisted that we read it to them by the light of a full moon. The book has taught them many things, like the days of our known week, and not to eat rubishy foods. My son has even insisted we buy another book writen by the same author.

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,5 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

I can't stop reading this fantastic work of English, 07 Feb 2001
I read this book outside, inside, on trains, on bikes, on walks, in cars, busses and ghost trains, but my favourite place to read this book is.......on the toilet. It's the best book ever and anyone out there who hasn't heard of the very hungry caterpillar should STARVE to death!!

I can't get over this amazing piece of English literature, 06 Feb 2001
As you may already know from my previous review that I bought this book for my kids!! I love reading it though, especially under the glow of a sunset, it really makes the colours of the pictures show. The book is really well written with amazing English that I just can't get over!! I have bought other books writen by the same auther, they are good but not as good as this book.

I can't get over this incredible piece of English literature, 05 Feb 2001
I have read this book a lot, to my children, to myself mostly though. I especially like reading it under eclipses because the real beauty of the colours in the book really show! I love this book

An amusing and engaging book. Favourite with my kids., 16 Jul 2000
This has been a favourite with both my children. The pictures are clear and amusing and the text is simple but never boring. Both kids asked me to read it them again and again and could soon tell me what was written on each page. A must.

A very educational piece of literature for the younger aged., 28 Jun 2000
I bought this fantastic piece of English work from Amazon, my children adored it and insisted that we read it to them by the light of a full moon. The book has taught them many things, like the days of our known week, and not to eat rubishy foods. My son has even insisted we buy another book writen by the same author.

not for the faint of heart..., 24 Oct 2002
Euclid begins by stating a few a definitions and logical rules. 'A line is a breathless length' and 'Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other'. The proofs that follow are simple and elegant. The second flowing from the first in a natural sequence. But this is no higgledy piggledy random wandering.

In the first book the author leads the reader to Pythagoras theorem. Just as every statement Euclid makes is essential to the proof, every proof is essential to the book's goal. The clarity and beauty of this book is something to behold

Heath's commentary is a very interesting complement. He provides alternative ancient and modern proofs as well as notes on the historical development of the mathematics.

A word of warning - this book took me about six months to read. I was unable to follow the book without following the proofs with a compass, ruler etc. However, if you are prepared to put in the time the rewards are considerable.

One of the 10 great scientific books of the last 2000 years, 19 Jul 2001
This book is the foundation on which the mathematics is built. It is greatly enhanced by the translator's annotations. If you want to know what mathematics is all about, then you must have this book.

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,5 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

I can't stop reading this fantastic work of English, 07 Feb 2001
I read this book outside, inside, on trains, on bikes, on walks, in cars, busses and ghost trains, but my favourite place to read this book is.......on the toilet. It's the best book ever and anyone out there who hasn't heard of the very hungry caterpillar should STARVE to death!!

I can't get over this amazing piece of English literature, 06 Feb 2001
As you may already know from my previous review that I bought this book for my kids!! I love reading it though, especially under the glow of a sunset, it really makes the colours of the pictures show. The book is really well written with amazing English that I just can't get over!! I have bought other books writen by the same auther, they are good but not as good as this book.

I can't get over this incredible piece of English literature, 05 Feb 2001
I have read this book a lot, to my children, to myself mostly though. I especially like reading it under eclipses because the real beauty of the colours in the book really show! I love this book

An amusing and engaging book. Favourite with my kids., 16 Jul 2000
This has been a favourite with both my children. The pictures are clear and amusing and the text is simple but never boring. Both kids asked me to read it them again and again and could soon tell me what was written on each page. A must.

A very educational piece of literature for the younger aged., 28 Jun 2000
I bought this fantastic piece of English work from Amazon, my children adored it and insisted that we read it to them by the light of a full moon. The book has taught them many things, like the days of our known week, and not to eat rubishy foods. My son has even insisted we buy another book writen by the same author.

not for the faint of heart..., 24 Oct 2002
Euclid begins by stating a few a definitions and logical rules. 'A line is a breathless length' and 'Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other'. The proofs that follow are simple and elegant. The second flowing from the first in a natural sequence. But this is no higgledy piggledy random wandering.

In the first book the author leads the reader to Pythagoras theorem. Just as every statement Euclid makes is essential to the proof, every proof is essential to the book's goal. The clarity and beauty of this book is something to behold

Heath's commentary is a very interesting complement. He provides alternative ancient and modern proofs as well as notes on the historical development of the mathematics.

A word of warning - this book took me about six months to read. I was unable to follow the book without following the proofs with a compass, ruler etc. However, if you are prepared to put in the time the rewards are considerable.

One of the 10 great scientific books of the last 2000 years, 19 Jul 2001
This book is the foundation on which the mathematics is built. It is greatly enhanced by the translator's annotations. If you want to know what mathematics is all about, then you must have this book.

Honestly you lot..., 17 May 2006
....if you want to razz someone's mathematical skills you might want to read their post in full first!

A meal WITH 4 friends means five people altogether.
£25.50 per head is close enough although it does make for a lousy tip!

Bigfoot dave's calculation is wrong, 01 Jun 2005
I don't think any of you seem to have taken much from the book since, £127 divided by four is actually £31.75.

Rapid Math Tricks and Tips, 16 Jul 2004
I read bigfootdaves comments below and have not laughed so much for ages....... I was literally on the floor. Oh, and the book was excellent.

Excellent fun!, 01 Aug 2001
This is a great book for anyone who is number-phobic. He gently builds confidence in handling numbers through easy to answer tests, teaching you some amazing 'tricks' along the way. Pity the reviewer before me hasn't learnt them!! A meal costing £125.00 split equally between 4 people is £31.25 each! Still, I'd be happy to eat with him any day!!!!

Brilliant, entertaining and great exercise for the brain, 26 Aug 2000
As well as being able to learn the tricks, you will find that your general mental arithmetic abilities are greater, but there's nothing like going for a meal with 4 friends and if the bill comes to £127 you can *instantly* work out that equals £25.50 each. Buy this book and throw your calculator in the bin.

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,5 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

I can't stop reading this fantastic work of English, 07 Feb 2001
I read this book outside, inside, on trains, on bikes, on walks, in cars, busses and ghost trains, but my favourite place to read this book is.......on the toilet. It's the best book ever and anyone out there who hasn't heard of the very hungry caterpillar should STARVE to death!!

I can't get over this amazing piece of English literature, 06 Feb 2001
As you may already know from my previous review that I bought this book for my kids!! I love reading it though, especially under the glow of a sunset, it really makes the colours of the pictures show. The book is really well written with amazing English that I just can't get over!! I have bought other books writen by the same auther, they are good but not as good as this book.

I can't get over this incredible piece of English literature, 05 Feb 2001
I have read this book a lot, to my children, to myself mostly though. I especially like reading it under eclipses because the real beauty of the colours in the book really show! I love this book

An amusing and engaging book. Favourite with my kids., 16 Jul 2000
This has been a favourite with both my children. The pictures are clear and amusing and the text is simple but never boring. Both kids asked me to read it them again and again and could soon tell me what was written on each page. A must.

A very educational piece of literature for the younger aged., 28 Jun 2000
I bought this fantastic piece of English work from Amazon, my children adored it and insisted that we read it to them by the light of a full moon. The book has taught them many things, like the days of our known week, and not to eat rubishy foods. My son has even insisted we buy another book writen by the same author.

not for the faint of heart..., 24 Oct 2002
Euclid begins by stating a few a definitions and logical rules. 'A line is a breathless length' and 'Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other'. The proofs that follow are simple and elegant. The second flowing from the first in a natural sequence. But this is no higgledy piggledy random wandering.

In the first book the author leads the reader to Pythagoras theorem. Just as every statement Euclid makes is essential to the proof, every proof is essential to the book's goal. The clarity and beauty of this book is something to behold

Heath's commentary is a very interesting complement. He provides alternative ancient and modern proofs as well as notes on the historical development of the mathematics.

A word of warning - this book took me about six months to read. I was unable to follow the book without following the proofs with a compass, ruler etc. However, if you are prepared to put in the time the rewards are considerable.

One of the 10 great scientific books of the last 2000 years, 19 Jul 2001
This book is the foundation on which the mathematics is built. It is greatly enhanced by the translator's annotations. If you want to know what mathematics is all about, then you must have this book.

Honestly you lot..., 17 May 2006
....if you want to razz someone's mathematical skills you might want to read their post in full first!

A meal WITH 4 friends means five people altogether.
£25.50 per head is close enough although it does make for a lousy tip!

Bigfoot dave's calculation is wrong, 01 Jun 2005
I don't think any of you seem to have taken much from the book since, £127 divided by four is actually £31.75.

Rapid Math Tricks and Tips, 16 Jul 2004
I read bigfootdaves comments below and have not laughed so much for ages....... I was literally on the floor. Oh, and the book was excellent.

Excellent fun!, 01 Aug 2001
This is a great book for anyone who is number-phobic. He gently builds confidence in handling numbers through easy to answer tests, teaching you some amazing 'tricks' along the way. Pity the reviewer before me hasn't learnt them!! A meal costing £125.00 split equally between 4 people is £31.25 each! Still, I'd be happy to eat with him any day!!!!

Brilliant, entertaining and great exercise for the brain, 26 Aug 2000
As well as being able to learn the tricks, you will find that your general mental arithmetic abilities are greater, but there's nothing like going for a meal with 4 friends and if the bill comes to £127 you can *instantly* work out that equals £25.50 each. Buy this book and throw your calculator in the bin.

Essential addition to your home library, 04 Dec 2008
This is the most wonderful book. I bought it for my daughter when she was five and she went back to it time after time till she was 10. It is so much fun you're not aware you're learning. Lots of helpful "cheats" to remember your times tables, eg 11 times any number up to 10 is always a double up ie 2x11=22, 3x11=33, 4=x11=44, etc. My son (6) has been using this since he was 3 and can do 12 times table!

Must buy!

Not So Terrific Times Table Book, 25 Apr 2006
As a teacher with many years of experience,I was very disappointed to find this book,fussy,over illustrated and far too involved for the age of the childre to which it is directed.My own young grandchildren looked at it for a few moments,put it down and never showed anymore interestin opening it again.


Great educational tool, 13 Feb 2006
This book is a fantastic introduction for children. Although intended for children over 7, my son has had the book since he was 5, and has thoroughly enjoyed the introduction to times tables. Children do not appear to see the book as educational as it is good fun. There is lots to explore within the book and with various pop up's, lift the flap's and slider's, children are keen to go back to the book again and again, and never find it boring or 'old hat'.

Great for helping children learn their tables., 28 Sep 2001
I really love this book which is one of a whole series of educational books. I am a teacher and have used it in school with 7 - 9 year olds. Children absolutely love it and the pop-ups and sliders are fairly sturdy. Knowing your times tables is vital so if you're wanting to give your child a head start, buy this book.

For some reason, it appears to have become a "classic", 02 Jan 2009
Everyone's got a copy haven't they ? or knows it. But it's just not that great is it ?
Certainly my two boys have never been that interested in it. They have always preferred 30-odd year old copies of Basil Brush books from my youth with no colour pictures but at least a good story, well written.
My only guess is that it's popular with parents because it only takes 2 minutes to read it cover to cover. Goodnight.

Hungry for the Caterpillar!, 14 Oct 2008
If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book.

It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story.

It is (deservedly) a children's classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book.

What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly.

The story has optimism and beauty at its very core.

It has limitless opportunities for teaching and conversation. There is a colouring book of the fantastic illustrations which can be bought - the video and CD features lovely music and a calm and peaceful narrator.

Tops my list for children and grown ups of all ages.

A Classic, 12 Oct 2008
Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it's perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

Yum!, 16 Sep 2008
An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn.

`The Hungry Caterpillar' shows all the great hallmarks of a young children's book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as it is equally open to in-depth interpretation. Possibilities of further learning include additional studies of phonics, links with food technology (fruits and their properties) and Art lessons, which could include the replication of the story by building giant cardboard fruits and a willing pupil dressing up as the wriggly main character!

Thanks to its content, messages and style, this book is useful for readers from Reception to low attainment Year 2.

A true classic!, 14 Sep 2008
I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it's pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!).

It's so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by heart as I couldn't even read then!!) is now being adored by my son.

It's wonderful to know that there are still some sacred things left that haven't been replaced by a flashier, more plasticky version.

This is a definite must-buy for all little kids (and big kids too!).

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,4 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

A rather complete book, 24 Sep 2001
For a student it is worth it buying as it starts with some basic stuff that can refresh the Maths knowledge needed to understand what will come afterwards. It covers all the Maths topics that they will have during their degree, except for Statistics. It can always be a reference to have in a bookshelf in case something comes up in the near future. For a Maths teatcher it is usefull as it has examples to apply the theory we want them to learn.

Good intoduction if your maths is a bit rusty, 07 Mar 2001
I found this book pretty helpful as it explains basic concepts from scratch, gradually building them up. It's easy to follow and a good foundation for businessy maths. it doesn't go into things like limitations of the modelling techniques though, but it helps you get to the level of maths needed for economics and business. It's not patronising, which is a problem I've encountered with other similar level texts. I'm pretty good at maths, but had forgotten some techniques and this provided a good reminder relevant to my degree, although it seems to be more like A level standard.

applying the maths to real world business scenarios is great, 17 Dec 2000
having just finished the first 3 chapters (linear equations) I can recommend this book to any person who seeks to improve their mathematics, regardless of prior knowledge. Having finished school nine years ago and never having been interested in maths until now, Ian Jacques offers an engaging 'business scenario' in introducing the subjects and step by step unfolding of the formula's make self study much easier and very rewarding

The perfect partner for helping your children with their homework , 30 Nov 2007
Having met my daughter's maths teacher who showed me this book to be the foundation of her teachings to all the children in Year 3 (7/8 year olds) I knew that this, together with Books 1,2,3,5 & 6, would be the ideal support for homework assistance. Until I bought this from Amazon, I had no guidelines at all and didn't know if the arithmetic I was 'teaching' at home was too hard, too easy or just plain useless. Now with this book I have the perfect assistant, because I know that the specific topics covered and the level of difficulty is exactly matched to what my daughter is studying at school, so it's an excellent revisionary tool, and it's even enjoyable too! Strongly recommended, I have no doubt that with regular use of this book at home my daughter, and her younger sister when her time comes, will have a much better chance of making the necessary grade in Year 6 and go on to our local grammar school. Sounds a bit over-the-top, but in its way, this little book can actually change the course of your children's lives - because the difference between our local grammar school and the comprehensive school is obvious for all to see. Getting a good grade at Arithmetic at age 11 is a fundamental requirement to being selected for a school offering better standards of education and in turn better opportunities in the future. I bought Books 1 through to 6 and I'm pleased I did.

I can't stop reading this fantastic work of English, 07 Feb 2001
I read this book outside, inside, on trains, on bikes, on walks, in cars, busses and ghost trains, but my favourite place to read this book is.......on the toilet. It's the best book ever and anyone out there who hasn't heard of the very hungry caterpillar should STARVE to death!!

I can't get over this amazing piece of English literature, 06 Feb 2001
As you may already know from my previous review that I bought this book for my kids!! I love reading it though, especially under the glow of a sunset, it really makes the colours of the pictures show. The book is really well written with amazing English that I just can't get over!! I have bought other books writen by the same auther, they are good but not as good as this book.

I can't get over this incredible piece of English literature, 05 Feb 2001
I have read this book a lot, to my children, to myself mostly though. I especially like reading it under eclipses because the real beauty of the colours in the book really show! I love this book

An amusing and engaging book. Favourite with my kids., 16 Jul 2000
This has been a favourite with both my children. The pictures are clear and amusing and the text is simple but never boring. Both kids asked me to read it them again and again and could soon tell me what was written on each page. A must.

A very educational piece of literature for the younger aged., 28 Jun 2000
I bought this fantastic piece of English work from Amazon, my children adored it and insisted that we read it to them by the light of a full moon. The book has taught them many things, like the days of our known week, and not to eat rubishy foods. My son has even insisted we buy another book writen by the same author.

not for the faint of heart..., 24 Oct 2002
Euclid begins by stating a few a definitions and logical rules. 'A line is a breathless length' and 'Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to each other'. The proofs that follow are simple and elegant. The second flowing from the first in a natural sequence. But this is no higgledy piggledy random wandering.

In the first book the author leads the reader to Pythagoras theorem. Just as every statement Euclid makes is essential to the proof, every proof is essential to the book's goal. The clarity and beauty of this book is something to behold

Heath's commentary is a very interesting complement. He provides alternative ancient and modern proofs as well as notes on the historical development of the mathematics.

A word of warning - this book took me about six months to read. I was unable to follow the book without following the proofs with a compass, ruler etc. However, if you are prepared to put in the time the rewards are considerable.

One of the 10 great scientific books of the last 2000 years, 19 Jul 2001
This book is the foundation on which the mathematics is built. It is greatly enhanced by the translator's annotations. If you want to know what mathematics is all about, then you must have this book.

Honestly you lot..., 17 May 2006
....if you want to razz someone's mathematical skills you might want to read their post in full first!

A meal WITH 4 friends means five people altogether.
£25.50 per head is close enough although it does make for a lousy tip!

Bigfoot dave's calculation is wrong, 01 Jun 2005
I don't think any of you seem to have taken much from the book since, £127 divided by four is actually £31.75.

Rapid Math Tricks and Tips, 16 Jul 2004
I read bigfootdaves comments below and have not laughed so much for ages....... I was literally on the floor. Oh, and the book was excellent.

Excellent fun!, 01 Aug 2001
This is a great book for anyone who is number-phobic. He gently builds confidence in handling numbers through easy to answer tests, teaching you some amazing 'tricks' along the way. Pity the reviewer before me hasn't learnt them!! A meal costing £125.00 split equally between 4 people is £31.25 each! Still, I'd be happy to eat with him any day!!!!

Brilliant, entertaining and great exercise for the brain, 26 Aug 2000
As well as being able to learn the tricks, you will find that your general mental arithmetic abilities are greater, but there's nothing like going for a meal with 4 friends and if the bill comes to £127 you can *instantly* work out that equals £25.50 each. Buy this book and throw your calculator in the bin.

Essential addition to your home library, 04 Dec 2008
This is the most wonderful book. I bought it for my daughter when she was five and she went back to it time after time till she was 10. It is so much fun you're not aware you're learning. Lots of helpful "cheats" to remember your times tables, eg 11 times any number up to 10 is always a double up ie 2x11=22, 3x11=33, 4=x11=44, etc. My son (6) has been using this since he was 3 and can do 12 times table!

Must buy!

Not So Terrific Times Table Book, 25 Apr 2006
As a teacher with many years of experience,I was very disappointed to find this book,fussy,over illustrated and far too involved for the age of the childre to which it is directed.My own young grandchildren looked at it for a few