Color Me Caterpillar Plush a Blank Slate for Budding Artists

East Windsor, N.J. (July 15, 2009) – The Very Hungry Caterpillar, written and illustrated by Eric Carle is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2009. To celebrate, Kids Preferred is making a special plush Caterpillar that allows kids to draw the 1 apple, 2 pears, 3 plums and the rest of the food that The Very Hungry Caterpillar eats, or they can make up their own food or color-scheme for this iconic children’s book character.

Kids Preferred, one of the leading U.S. plush manufacturers, has received many national awards since developing its line of The World of Eric Carle product.

Eric Carle's best-known work, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has eaten its way into the hearts of millions of children all over the world and has been translated into more than 45 languages and sold over 29 million copies. Eric Carle is a legend in children’s picture books, having written and illustrated more than seventy books, many best sellers. He has sold more than 88 million copies of his books worldwide.

Kids Preferred’s Color Me Caterpillar is available at specialty toy stores nationwide:

Color Me Caterpillar • Ages 3+ • $18
Kids will delight in 15 inches of a blank canvas in the shape of a familiar caterpillar. Use your imagination and the enclosed washable markers to create a one-of-a-kind story book character.

About Kids Preferred, LLC
Kids Preferred, LLC is dedicated to creating superior quality, innovative soft toys and gifts for children of all ages using unique, playful designs that help instill a love of learning and create everlasting childhood memories. They serve the specialty, juvenile, gift, and better department store trade. The Company’s distinctive soft and plush toys and gifts are marketed under the Company’s own Kids Preferred™ brand and through licensed brands including amazing baby™, asthma friendly®, The World of Beatrix Potter™, Madeline™, Charlie & Lola™, The World of Eric Carle™, Elmer, Naturally Better Peter Rabbit™, Emily Goes Wild, Guess How Much I Love You™, Harley-Davidson®, The Snowman™, Between The Lions™, Spot™, Pat the Bunny™ and Martha Speaks™. For more information, visit their website at www.kidspreferred.com.

About The World of Eric Carle
The World of Eric Carle is a design-driven licensing and merchandising program based on the beloved picture books by Eric Carle, best known for the children’s classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A prolific author and artist, Eric Carle has written and illustrated more than seventy books that have sold over 88 million copies worldwide. Like his books, The World of Eric Carle brand draws upon Eric Carle’s lessons in creativity, discovery, play and development. For more information about Eric Carle visit www.Eric-Carle.com. Chorion, a global family entertainment and merchandising company, represents The World of Eric Carle for licensing worldwide.