In Honor Of Jan Berenstain, Children’s Literature Characters We Can’t Get Enough Of

This week, the world of children’s literature lost one its most beloved authors and illustrators. Jan Berenstain, the matron of the Berenstain Bears passed away from a stroke at the age of 88. Jan and her husband Stan created the Berenstain family and series of books based on their own children. They thought of the children’s tales as a way to teach morals to the younger generation. “Family values is what we’re all about,” Jan told the Associated Press in 2011.

One of Jan’s sons, Mike Berenstain, plans to continue publishing the beloved bear family tales. Since his father’s death in 2005, Mike has joined his mother in expanding their franchise. So far, 260 million copies of the Berenstain Bears books have made their way to children around the world, and that number will only get bigger.

The Berenstain’s created a lasted literature franchise because they focused on comforting characters that we all could relate to. Stories of Mama, Papa, Brother, and Sister Bear showed family dynamics at its most innocent. It’s no wonder that children and adults both fell in love with these books.

For me, these stories taught the importance of great children’s literature series. They provided familiar faces and character to get emotionally to. This franchise of stories created a foundation and invited kids to keep coming back time and again.

In honor of Jan and her family’s amazing contribution to children’s literature, here are some other captivating series for kids to get involved in. Some of these books are established in the home libraries of millions already. Others are new series that are sure to capture the hearts of generations to come. Either way, these books gives children a chance to learn and explore characters through multiple books and situations.

Let me know if I’ve missed any of your favorite children’s characters.

[ITPGallery]