Kids react in different ways to getting glasses. Some are excited about their snazzy new accessory while others may resist the change or worry they’ll get teased at school.
It’s important to talk to your child about getting glasses, listen to their feelings and show them that it isn’t a negative thing. Bringing up their favorite book and movie characters who wear glasses may help. It may even inspire them to be proud of their new eyewear.
SEE RELATED: How to get kids to wear glasses
Book characters who wear glasses
There are, of course, books for kids about getting glasses. There are also many beloved and classic books with characters who wear glasses.
Some of your child’s favorite book characters who wear glasses include:
- Arlo – Arlo is a fluffy dog who discovers he could benefit from glasses when he can’t see during a game of catch in Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg.
- Arthur – A cartoon aardvark from a series of books by Marc Brown, Arthur gets glasses in the book Arthur’s Eyes.
- Douglas – Douglas is a dog who gets into funny mix-ups because he needs glasses in Douglas, You Need Glasses by Ged Adamson.
- Eliot Jones – The titular character in Eliot Jones, Midnight Superhero by Anne Cottringer turns into a superhero at night. He also wears round, red glasses.
- Gerald the Elephant – Half of the starring duo in the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems, Gerald the Elephant wears wire-rimmed glasses.
- Gilbert – An adorable possum, the protagonist of a series of children’s books by Diane deGroat, Gilbert wears round glasses.
- Harriet the Spy – Harriet is a girl who spies on her neighbors in the classic Harriet the Spy series by Louise Fitzhugh. The series was also made into two movies.
- Harry Potter – The star of a series of seven fantasy books by J.K. Rowling, boy wizard Harry Potter wears round black glasses.
- Jack – In the Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborn, Jack and his sister find a magic treehouse that allows them to travel through time. And Jack wears glasses.
- Jean – In Jean and Johnny, a book about teen love by Beverly Cleary, that was first published in the 1950s, Jean wears cat-eye frames.
- John Darling – John is Wendy’s brother in the classic children’s story Peter Pan, wears glasses.
- Junie B. Jones – Junie is the protagonist of a series of comedic children’s books by Barbara Park. Junie gets purple glasses that she takes to school for show-and-tell.
- Mallory Pike – “Mal” is a level-headed junior officer in The Baby-Sitters Club, a popular series by Ann M. Martin that has been turned into a film and multiple series.
- Mia Thermopolis – The protagonist of The Princess Diaries, a series of young adult (YA) novels made into two movies, Mia wears tortoiseshell glasses.
- Miss Honey – Miss Honey is a teacher who helps Matilda Wormwood discover her own gifts in the Roald Dahl classic Matilda, which also was made into a movie and a musical.
- Moon Girl – A Marvel superhero and 9-year-old genius (real name: Lunella Lafayette), Moon Girl has a red dinosaur sidekick, a pair of round glasses and telepathic powers.
- Prue Theroux – The main character in Prue Theroux the Cool Librarian by Gillian Rubinstein, Prue is a librarian who teaches kids that books (and glasses) are cool.
- Sophie – Sophie is the bespectacled protagonist in the Roald Dahl children’s classic The BFG (short for The Big Friendly Giant), which was made into an animated and a live action film.
- Waldo – The world-traveling star of the classic Where’s Waldo? series by British illustrator Martin Handford, Waldo has a magic walking stick and round black glasses.
SEE RELATED: 16 kids’ books about wearing glasses
TV and movie characters who wear glasses
Many TV show and movie characters also sport specs. Here’s a list of your child’s favorite TV and movie characters who wear glasses:
- Austin Powers – Austin Powers wears his signature bold, black square specs as he tries to thwart his enemy Dr. Evil.
- Barnabee – Barnabee is a glasses-wearing bee in the The Hive, an animated series that follows the lives of the Bee family.
- Drs. Bernadette Rostenkowski-Walowitz and Amy Farrah Fowler – The Big Bang Theory microbiologist and neurobiologist (respectively) are main characters who dons eyeglasses on the TV series.
- Betty Suarez – The bespectacled Betty is the star of Ugly Betty, a TV series adapted from a Colombian telenovela.
- Chuckie – With his red spiky hair and purple square glasses, this Rugrats character is well known to fans of this animated television series.
- Clark Kent – Superman’s quiet alter ego, Clark Kent wears horn rimmed glasses and works as a newspaper reporter when not saving the world.
- Clyde McBride – Clad in round glasses, Clyde is the smart, kind-hearted friend of the main character Lincoln on The Loud House, an animated series.
- Daria Morgendorffer – Daria is a cynical, smart teen recognized by her signature green jacket and her constant smirk framed in round black glasses. She’s the protagonist of Daria, an MTV animated series and Beavis and Butthead spinoff.
- Dexter – In his bold blue-tinted glasses, Dexter is the main character of Dexter’s Laboratory, a Cartoon Network animated series.
- Egon Spengler, Ph.D – A science fanatic and member of the Ghostbusters team in the film and sequels, Egon Spengler fights ghosts in glasses.
- Edna Mode – A main character in the animated superhero series The Incredibles, Edna is known for calling everyone “dahling” and wearing round, black glasses.
- Felicity Smoak – Codename Overwatch, glasses-wearing Felicity is a member of Team Arrow on the superhero TV series Arrow.
- Lewis – The main character in the animated film Meet the Robinsons, Lewis goes on a personal quest in his round specs and ends up traveling through time.
- Magenta – Blue’s friend in the animated series Blues Clues, Magenta is a puppy who wears purple glasses.
- Marcie – In her small round glasses, Marcie is Peppermint Patty’s friend in the Peanuts comic strip and animated film.
- Pedro Pony – Pedro is a pal of Peppa Pig and sports small, round glasses in the British animated TV series.
- Velma Dinkley – Recognized by her bright orange sweater and black rectangular glasses, Velma is the brains behind the mystery-solving team on Scooby-Doo, an animated TV series that spun off into movies and a variety of other media.
Using characters to talk to your kids about glasses
Reading a book or watching a movie or show with a character who wears glasses may be a great way to start a conversation about wearing glasses with your child, whether they’re a tot, an elementary schooler, a tween or a teen.
So grab a book, flip on the TV or start up a movie to help your kid learn that beloved characters proudly rock their glasses.
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