Eric Carle is an internationally bestselling andaward-winningauthor/illustrator of books for very young children.He was born in NewYork, but spent his early life in Germany. Hereturned to the States inhis early twenties and worked as a graphicdesigner for the New YorkTimes. He went on to be the art directorof an advertising agencybefore he began writing and illustratingchildren's books. Eric livesin Massachusetts with his wife Barbara.The Carles opened The EricCarle Museum of Picture Book Art inMassachusetts in 2002.