Sad news is coming in from the literary world, as it's been reported that The Very Hungry Caterpillar author and illustrator Eric Carle has died. According to his family, the legendary children's book creator passed away on Sunday at his summer studio in Northampton, Massachusetts, as a result of kidney failure. He was 91 years old

Eric Carle was born on June 25, 1929, in Syracuse, New York. His career in children's literature began by pure chance in his late 30s when a drawing of a lobster Carle created for an ad caught the attention of children's book author Bill Martin Jr. Carle was hired to provide the illustrations for Martin's own iconic book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, sparking Carle's new direction in life writing and illustrating books for kids.

Carle's unique artwork was created as a collage using hand-painted papers, often crafting very bright and colorful images in his books. One of Carle's first books as both an author and illustrator was The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which was published in 1969. It features a very hungry caterpillar who eats his way through a variety of foods before transforming into a butterfly. The book has since sold nearly 50 million copies worldwide, winning many children's literature awards in previous years.

"I think it is a book of hope," Carle once said of why The Very Hungry Caterpillar was such a hit with readers. "Children need hope. You, little insignificant caterpillar can grow up into a beautiful butterfly and fly into the world with your talent."

Some of Carle's other works include The Grouchy Ladybug, 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo, and The Very Busy Spider, among many more. He also continued to collaborate with Martin, providing artwork for books like Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? and Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See?.Ultimately, Carle illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote. Altogether, his works have sold more than 145 million copies worldwide. He was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 2003 due to his lasting contributions to children's literature.

"Our hearts are heavy tonight with the loss of our beloved co-founder Eric Carle who has passed away," tweeted the Eric Carle Museum. "He was our friend, our inspiration, and a creative visionary for generations of artists and children."

"It is with heavy hearts that we share that Eric Carle, author & illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other beloved classics, passed away on May 23rd at the age of 91," added the publisher Penguin Random House. "Thank you for sharing your great talent with generations of young readers."

Former First Lady Michelle Obama also wrote in another tweet: "His work has been read (and re-read, and re-read) tens of millions of times over the years, one generation's gift to the next. Thank you @EricCarle for filling our lives with so much wonder and joy."

We offer our condolences to Carle's family and friends at this time. The contributions he left behind have ensured that the legendary author and illustrator's legacy will live on forever. May he rest in peace. This news comes to us from TMZ.