Penguin Young Readers organized a cross-country tour for The Very Hungry Caterpillar last month, in which the caterpillar himself, and a decorated Volkswagen Bug, stopped at bookstores across the country: beginning in San Carlos, Calif., and ending in Amherst, Mass., at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. See photos from “The Very Big Wiggle Tour” below.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar hugs a reader at the Green Bean Books event in Portland, Ore.

Another reader meets the caterpillar at Green Bean Books.

Young readers gather around the caterpillar in Boulder, Colo., at Old Firehouse Books.

Families join the caterpillar at the tour’s stop at Watermark Books in Wichita, Kans.

One attendee checks out the painted Volkswagen bug.

At Watermark Books attendees colored their own masks.

Another reader at Watermark gets a photograph with the caterpillar.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar joins the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Massachusettes.

Kids and their families join the caterpillar in wiggling around the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, Mass.

Families attending the final tour event at the Eric Carle Museum take photographs with the caterpillar.

Young readers walk along with their favorite caterpillar at the museum.