Best examples of summary examples of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' for Kids and Parents

Short, Simple Examples of Summary Examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Let’s start with the shortest, kid-friendly versions. These are the kind of examples teachers might expect from kindergarteners or first graders who are just learning how to retell a story.

Here is a one-sentence example of a very simple summary:

“A hungry caterpillar eats a lot of food, gets a stomachache, then turns into a beautiful butterfly.”

This is one of the best examples of a beginner summary because it:

• Names the main character (the caterpillar)
• Mentions the main action (eating a lot of food)
• Includes the ending (turns into a butterfly)

Another short version, still simple but with a bit more detail:

“In *The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a tiny caterpillar hatches from an egg, eats through many foods all week, gets sick from overeating, and finally builds a cocoon and becomes a butterfly.”*

These short examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar are perfect for young kids practicing how to capture the beginning, middle, and end in just a few lines.

Early Elementary Examples of Summary Examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

By second or third grade, students can usually handle a fuller paragraph. Here are a few real examples that show what that might look like in natural, age-appropriate language.

Example 1: Basic paragraph summary (2nd–3rd grade)

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar* is about a tiny caterpillar who is very hungry. He hatches from an egg on a Sunday and starts eating different foods each day of the week. At first he eats fruit, but then he eats lots of junk food like cake and ice cream and gets a stomachache. On Sunday he eats a green leaf and feels better. Then he builds a cocoon around himself and stays inside. After two weeks, he comes out as a beautiful butterfly.”*

This example of a summary:

• Uses the days of the week as a clear structure
• Shows that the caterpillar’s overeating causes a problem
• Ends with the transformation into a butterfly

Example 2: Summary that highlights the lesson

“In *The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a small caterpillar hatches and eats more and more food every day. He starts with healthy fruit but then eats too much candy and other treats and gets a bad stomachache. After he eats a green leaf, he feels better and builds a cocoon. When he comes out, he has changed into a butterfly. The story shows how living things grow and change over time and hints that eating too much junk food can make you feel sick.”*

This is one of the best examples of a summary for kids who are starting to talk about theme or lesson. It doesn’t just say what happens; it suggests what the story is trying to teach.

Longer, Detailed Examples of Summary Examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Sometimes teachers ask for a longer paragraph or a short multi-paragraph summary, especially in grades 3–5. These examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar show how to add detail without rewriting every page.

Example 3: Detailed single-paragraph summary

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar* by Eric Carle tells the story of a tiny caterpillar’s journey from egg to butterfly. One Sunday morning, a small caterpillar hatches from an egg and immediately starts looking for food. Each day of the week, he eats more and more, starting with one apple on Monday and ending with a huge feast of cake, ice cream, cheese, sausage, and other treats on Saturday. Because he eats so much unhealthy food, he gets a terrible stomachache. On Sunday he eats a green leaf, which helps him feel better. Then he builds a cocoon, also called a chrysalis, around himself and stays inside for more than two weeks. When he finally comes out, he has transformed into a large, colorful butterfly. The story uses simple words and bright pictures to teach young children about counting, the days of the week, and the life cycle of a butterfly.”*

This version is helpful for older elementary students because it:

• Names the author
• Uses content words like life cycle and chrysalis
• Connects the story to learning goals (counting, days of the week, science)

Example 4: Two-paragraph summary for upper elementary

“In *The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a tiny caterpillar hatches from an egg under the light of the moon. Right away, he is hungry and begins to look for food. From Monday through Friday, he eats through different fruits, and the number of pieces matches the day of the week. This pattern helps children practice counting and learn the order of the days. On Saturday, the caterpillar loses control and eats a huge amount of junk food, including cake, pie, sausage, and a lollipop. That night he has a bad stomachache because he ate too much and chose unhealthy foods.*

On Sunday, he eats a single green leaf and feels better. After that, he is no longer a small caterpillar; he has grown big and fat. He builds a cocoon around himself and stays inside for about two weeks. When he finally comes out, he is not a caterpillar anymore, but a beautiful butterfly with colorful wings. This summary shows how the story gently introduces young readers to healthy eating, growth and change, and the stages in a butterfly’s life.”

This is one of the best examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar for students who are asked to write more than one paragraph and include both events and ideas.

Examples Include Different Purposes: School, Storytime, and Teaching

Not every summary has the same job. Some are written for homework, some for quick reminders, and some to help adults plan lessons. Here are a few more real examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, each with a slightly different purpose.

Example 5: Super-short summary for a reading log

“A hungry caterpillar eats through lots of food all week, gets sick from overeating, then rests in a cocoon and turns into a butterfly.”

This kind of summary is perfect when space is limited, like on a reading log or chart.

Example 6: Summary for a teacher’s lesson plan

“Picture book about a caterpillar that hatches from an egg, eats increasing amounts of food across the days of the week, experiences a stomachache after binging on high-sugar, high-fat foods, then recovers, builds a chrysalis, and emerges as a butterfly. Supports lessons on days of the week, counting, nutrition choices, and the butterfly life cycle.”

This example of a summary is aimed at adults, so it uses more technical language like high-sugar and nutrition choices. If you’re connecting the book to health lessons, you can even bring in basic nutrition guidance from sources like the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate program at https://www.myplate.gov.

Example 7: Summary for a library or catalog entry

“Classic picture book in which a small caterpillar hatches and eats his way through a variety of foods, increasing in size each day. After a binge on rich, sugary treats leaves him with a stomachache, he returns to a simple green leaf, then forms a cocoon and later emerges as a butterfly. Combines simple text with bold collage illustrations to introduce early concepts such as counting, days of the week, and metamorphosis.”

Examples include this kind of neutral, descriptive summary that you might see on a library website or in a book database.

Example 8: Summary with a focus on science

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar* uses a fictional caterpillar’s eating adventure to introduce the real-life process of metamorphosis. The story follows the insect from egg, to larva (caterpillar), to chrysalis, to adult butterfly. Although the caterpillar’s diet in the book is exaggerated for fun, the overall pattern of growth, rest, and transformation reflects the actual butterfly life cycle studied in early science classes.”*

This summary works well when you’re linking the book to basic life science. For accurate background information on metamorphosis, teachers often turn to resources from the Smithsonian or similar organizations, such as the Smithsonian’s butterfly information at https://naturalhistory.si.edu.

How to Write Your Own: Using These Examples of Summary Examples as Models

All these examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar follow the same basic pattern, just with different levels of detail. If you or your students want to write a new summary, you can:

Start by naming the book and main character.

“In *The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a tiny caterpillar hatches from an egg…”*

Add the main events in order.

He eats more food each day, eats too much junk food, gets a stomachache, eats a leaf, builds a cocoon.

End with the result or change.

He becomes a butterfly.

Then, if the assignment asks for it, add a sentence about what the story teaches:

It can be about growing up, healthy eating, or the life cycle of a butterfly.

Using real examples like the ones above helps students see that a summary is shorter than a retelling. It doesn’t list every food or every number, but it keeps the heart of the story. For students who struggle with attention or memory, teachers sometimes pair this book with visual supports or simple routines. Organizations like the CDC offer general guidance on supporting young children’s learning and development at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment.

2024–2025: Why These Summaries Still Matter

Even though The Very Hungry Caterpillar was first published in 1969, it remains one of the most frequently used picture books in early childhood classrooms and homes in 2024–2025. Many U.S. schools still rely on it to:

• Practice retelling and summarizing, which are key reading skills in the early grades
• Introduce science topics like metamorphosis and life cycles
• Support nutrition and health conversations in a gentle, age-appropriate way

Educators focused on early literacy often emphasize the importance of talking about books, not just reading them. Universities with strong education programs, such as Harvard Graduate School of Education, regularly highlight interactive read-alouds and discussion as powerful tools for building comprehension (see resources at https://www.gse.harvard.edu). Having clear, level-appropriate examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar gives teachers and parents an easy way to model that kind of talk.

In a world full of screens and fast content, this simple picture book—and the short summaries kids write about it—still help children practice slowing down, remembering, and explaining. That’s a skill they’ll use long after they’ve outgrown picture books.

FAQ: Common Questions About Summaries of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Q: What are some short examples of a summary for The Very Hungry Caterpillar?
A: A quick example of a short summary is: “A tiny caterpillar eats through lots of food, gets a stomachache from overeating, then builds a cocoon and turns into a butterfly.” Another short version is: “A hungry caterpillar eats more food each day of the week, feels sick after too many treats, and finally becomes a butterfly.”

Q: How long should a child’s summary of the book be?
A: It depends on age and assignment. Kindergarteners might give one or two sentences. By second or third grade, teachers often expect a 3–5 sentence paragraph. The examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar above show how length increases with age while still staying focused.

Q: What’s an example of a summary that includes the lesson of the story?
A: One example is: “The story shows that living things grow and change over time, and it also suggests that eating too much junk food can make you feel sick.” This kind of summary mentions both what happens and what the story is trying to teach.

Q: Can these examples be used for English language learners?
A: Yes. Many teachers use very simple examples of summary examples of The Very Hungry Caterpillar with English language learners because the story has a clear pattern and repeated phrases. Starting with one-sentence summaries and slowly adding detail helps learners build vocabulary and confidence.

Q: Are there any science-based resources to pair with this book?
A: For accurate information on butterflies and metamorphosis, you can look at museum and education sites such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History at https://naturalhistory.si.edu. For general child development and early learning tips, the CDC’s resources at https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment can be helpful when planning activities around the book.