Lessons from a Caterpillar

For what seems like a gazillion years (well, since 1969), Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar [JP CAR] has been delighting toddlers and preschoolers with its romp through a world of food and its tactile appeal (who can resist putting a finger through a slice of salami?). Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics is going to be using the book in a campaign to teach children to make wiser food choices, with the ultimate goal of preventing overeating.



I agree that childhood obesity is a problem, but I wonder about the co-opting of the caterpillar for purposes other than to delight a child. Must everything have a lesson?