Popular children’s book and movie characters who wear glasses

Kids react in different ways to getting glasses. Some get 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 bad thing. Bringing up their favorite book and movie characters who wear glasses can 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 needs 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, Eliot is a “quiet little thing” who turns into a superhero at night. He also wears fun 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 and his round black glasses have made life more magical for generations of kids. 

• 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 first published in the 1950s by children’s book and YA book author Beverly Cleary, Jean wears cool cat-eye frames.

• John Darling – John is Wendy’s brave and brainy brother in the classic children’s story Peter Pan, also made into a Disney film.

• Junie B. Jones – Known as “The World’s Funniest First Grader” Junie is the protagonist of a series of funny 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 wildly popular series by Ann M. Martin that has been turned into a film, an HBO series and, now, a Netflix series.

• Mia Thermopolis – The protagonist of The Princess Diaries, a series of YA novels made into two Disney movies, Mia wears tortoiseshell glasses.

• Miss Honey – Miss Honey is a sweet 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 wacky 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 best 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 – Everyone’s favorite “international man of mystery,” Austin Powers wears his signature bold, black square specs as he tries to thwart his enemy Dr. Evil.

• Barnabee – Barnabee is a kind, smart 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 strong, smart and successful main characters. And each dons eyeglasses on the hilarious TV series.

• Betty Suarez – The bespectacled Betty is the sweet, quirky unforgettable star of Ugly Betty, a TV series adapted from a Colombian telenovela.

• Chuckie – With his red spiky hair and purple square glasses, the Rugrats character is well known to fans of the Nickelodeon 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 cool round glasses, Clyde is the smart, kind-hearted best friend of the main character Lincoln on The Loud House, a Nickelodeon 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 has no trouble fighting 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 Disney animated film Meet the Robinsons, Lewis goes on a personal quest in his round specs and ends up traveling through time.

• Magenta – Blue’s best friend in the animated series Blues Clues, Magenta is a sweet puppy who wears purple glasses and loves arts and crafts.

• Marcie – In her small round glasses, Marcie is Peppermint Patty’s best 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 that has spun off into theme parks, merchandise and video games. 

• 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 is 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 see that some of the most beloved characters in the world proudly rock their glasses.

READ NEXT: Answering Your Child's Questions About Myopia

Page published on Thursday, December 2, 2021