Between the lines: Explore interesting book museums around the world
Eric Carle is the famed author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? as well as 70 other picture books for the very young.
His collage technique, using bright colours, is instantly recognisable. After a long and successful career, Carle could have settled into a comfortable retirement. Instead, in 2002 and at the age of 73, he and his wife founded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts.
The Museum Book is a good introduction to the history of museums and what museums are for
Located midway between Boston and New York City, the museum houses an extensive collection of more than 10,000 picture book illustrations, as well as three art galleries, an art studio, a theatre, and picture book and scholarly libraries.
It also organises educational programmes for families, scholars, educators and children.
The picture book library has more than 3,000 picture books from around the world. But the big draw is the bookshop, where visitors can buy contemporary and hard-to-find picture books.
If your family holiday takes you to that part of the United States, then you must try to visit the museum's special exhibition this month called "Seriously Silly: A Decade of Art and Whimsy by Mo Willems".
Willems is one of my favourite children's book creators, and he will be signing books on specific dates during the exhibition.