As a caregiver watching our young readers grow, one of the most rewarding experiences is to see them discover books and classic characters that they love. From Pete the Cat to Michael Bond's beloved Paddington Bear, reading can open up their imaginations and help them explore new ideas – taking them on adventures that ignite their minds. Today, we celebrate nine amazing I Can Read! book characters who have been inspiring young readers for years, bringing joy into each household as they learn to read on their own:
Meet Pete, the groovy blue cat. He likes movin', groovin', and schoolin'. No matter where he goes, Pete the Cat always keeps his cool!
Pete the Cat is having a bad day: his best shirt is dirty, he left his crayons at home, and he’s late for school. What will it take for Pete to turn his not so groovy day into a cool one after all?
Woof! Woof! Biscuit, the small yellow dog who always wants one more hug! Biscuit's mischievous antics, lively storytelling, and simple pictures make his books perfect for beginning readers.
Snuggle up at bedtime or anytime with Biscuit, the very first book about everyone's favorite little yellow puppy. It’s time for bed, but Biscuit doesn’t want to sleep! Before Biscuit gets into bed he wants one more snack, one more story, one more kiss. Will he ever go to sleep? Woof, woof!
Join the beloved and bestselling little yellow puppy, Biscuit, as he visits the community garden. Seeds—check! Shovel—check! Biscuit and the little girl are ready to visit the community garden. From planting flowers with new friends to feeding the birds, there are so many ways to help in the garden!
Come celebrate the power of friendship with the beloved Frog and Toad stories. No matter what kind of adventure they find themselves on, one thing is certain: Frog and Toad will always be together.
The beloved classic about friendship—a Newbery Honor Book! Frog and Toad are best friends—they do everything together. When Toad admires the flowers in Frog's garden, Frog gives him seeds to grow a garden of his own. When Toad bakes cookies, Frog helps him eat them. And when both Frog and Toad are scared, they are brave together.
Celebrate the power of friendship in these five adventurous stories starring Frog and Toad—a Caldecott Honor Book! From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other—just as best friends should be.
Everyone loves the literal-minded Amelia Bedelia. When she makes a sponge cake, she puts in real sponges. When she weeds the garden, she replants the weeds. And when she pitches a tent, she throws it into the woods!
When Amelia Bedelia helps out at the school science fair, she finds an exploding volcano, some UFOs, and a mad scientist!
Ever since Amelia Bedelia made her debut in 1963, young readers have been laughing out loud at the antics of this literal-minded but charming housekeeper. From dressing the chicken to drawing the drapes, Amelia Bedelia does exactly what Mr. and Mrs. Rogers tell her to do. If things get a bit mixed up, well, that's okay. When Amelia Bedelia is involved, everything always turns out perfectly in the end!
Mercer Mayer's classic and beloved character, Little Critter, loves adventure! From learning how to stop, drop, and roll to rescuing Dad from the basement, there's always something exciting to do in Critterville.
Little Critter wants a new toy Squisher truck! For two weeks, Little Critter does chores to pay for it—he lets the dog in, takes out the trash, and cleans his room. When he finally has enough money, the toy store is all sold out. To cheer up Little Critter, his dad takes him to his Uncle Zeb’s Monster Truck Rally. From tricks on two wheels to ridding in an actual monster truck, the rally is the best time ever! But will Little Critter ever get his Squisher truck?
Join Mercer Mayer’s classic and beloved character, Little Critter, as he and his classmates take a field trip into the woods to study their natural surroundings. There are plenty of surprises in the great outdoors! Kids will enjoy laughing along with Little Critter and his classmates.
Welcome to Bear Country! Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear live in a charming and neighborly countryside. Together, they have many delightful experiences!
Enjoy summertime fun and a gentle reminder about sharing in this Level One I Can Read in the beloved bestselling Berenstain Bears series! Summer has arrived in Bear Country! The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and all the cubs are playing in the pool. Meanwhile, Papa can’t stand the heat and desires a pool of his own. When Papa finally builds his own pool, the cubs are excited to join in the fun. But Papa is quick to say no to anyone else joining the pool. Looks like someone must learn to share and share alike!
The Berenstain Bears discover the true power of lending a helping paw in this exciting addition to the classic New York Times bestselling series. When Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear pretend to be their favorite superhero characters, the whole neighborhood joins in on the game. It’s fun to fight evildoers, but when a young neighbor falls off his bike, the Bear siblings get to be real-life heroes!
Pinkatastic! Meet Pinkalicious, who believes that everything is better when pink is involved! Her charm and imagination make every adventure pinkaperfect. Pinkalicious knows that a pink cupcake is a perfect snack when reading a pinkamazing story!
Pinkalicious and and her friend Molly visit the beach and discover a riddle to solve. When Pinkalicious and Molly find a message in a bottle, the riddle inside sends them on a pinkatastic adventure! Will the pinktectives solve the mystery?
Pinkalicious reads in bed, at the table, and even while she is walking. When Pinkalicious can't find any new books to read at the library, what does she do? She makes a pinkamazing little library. It’s booktastic!
Meet Nancy, who believes that more is always better when being fancy. Her larger-than-life personality adores all things extraordinary. With Nancy, reading is always posh—that's a fancy word for fancy!
Nancy has fun with her reading buddy in this I Can Read story from New York Times bestselling team Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser! Ooh la la—Fancy Nancy is so lucky! She and her reading buddy, Violet, read together every Monday. But when a few Mondays go by without being able to meet, Nancy begins to miss her new friend. Will Violet and Nancy find a way to read together even if they’re not at school?
Yummy, cupcakes are scrumptious (that’s fancy for tasty!). Nancy is thrilled to be making cupcakes for the bake sale! But will she remember to follow all of Mom's directions?
Over fifty years ago, a small bear from Peru set out on an adventure of a lifetime. He stowed away on a ship headed for faraway England with nothing but a suitcase, several jars of marmalade, and a label around his neck that read: PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR. When the little bear arrived at London's busy Paddington Station, he took in by Mr. and Mrs. Brown. As luck would have it, the Browns were just the sort of people to welcome a lost bear into their family.
