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Fred Bear is a curious young explorer, photographer, and journal keeper with a big love for discovering new places.
Fred Bear is inspired by a real, much-loved teddy bear and the real travels, places, and family memories behind Fred Bear's Adventures. In Fred's illustrated world, those real experiences become adventures of his own as he explores new destinations, asks questions, makes friends, tries new things, takes photographs, and records the moments he never wants to forget.
Fred Bear isn't just a character in a story. He's a real, well-loved teddy bear who has traveled to real places, seen real landmarks, tasted new foods, gotten tired from walking way too many blocks, and collected more than a few stories along the way.
Fred Bear's Adventures began with a real girl and her teddy bear setting out to explore the big, wide world together.
At first, the adventures were small. A walk through the park. A weekend by the coast. A place nearby that we'd passed a hundred times but had never stopped to really explore.
Then the trips got a little bigger. And then a lot bigger.
Before long, Fred was riding cable cars through San Francisco, standing beneath cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., celebrating Christmas in New York City, riding first class behind a steam locomotive through New England, and discovering that there is always something interesting waiting around the next corner.
Especially when someone suddenly points and shouts—
"Look! Look!"
That excitement became part of Fred too.
Fred is curious about almost everything. He asks questions. He likes figuring out how things work. He takes pictures—although the pictures don't always turn out quite the way he planned.
Sometimes he confidently believes he already knows the answer. Sometimes he is completely wrong. And that's okay. Because Fred isn't supposed to be a tour guide who knows everything. He's an explorer.
He wonders why the Golden Gate Bridge isn't actually gold. He wants to know why a covered bridge needs a roof. He'll stare at an enormous building and immediately wonder how anyone managed to build it.
And if something looks especially interesting? Fred wants a closer look.
Sometimes he gets so excited that he forgets about his camera altogether. Other times he remembers the camera a little too much and discovers that the best photograph isn't always the best memory.
That's one of the most important things about Fred Bear's Adventures. The adventures aren't built around imaginary destinations. Every story is inspired by places we've actually explored, and many of Fred's funniest little moments come from things that really happened along the way.
The landmarks are real. The museums are real. The libraries are real. The food is real. And yes—the walking is very real.
Fred usually starts out enthusiastically. Ten blocks later, his feet tend to have a different opinion. But that's part of exploring.
Sometimes the places you planned to see become your favorite memories. Sometimes it's the tiny café you weren't looking for. The unexpected view around a corner. A food you've never tasted. A conversation with someone you just met. Or something so exciting that all you can manage to say is—"Look! Look!"
Fred's adventures aren't really about checking famous places off a list. They're about experiencing them.
Fred might visit a famous bridge and become fascinated by how it was built. He might walk into an old library and wonder about all the stories that have survived inside. He might photograph a monument and accidentally cut half of it out of the picture. He might bravely try a new food—and decide one bite was plenty.
And somewhere along the way, there's usually time for something sweet.
These little moments matter because they're often the things we remember long after a trip is over. A photograph can help us remember what something looked like. A story can help us remember what it felt like.
Every adventure begins at home. While Fred packs his backpack, checks his camera, and prepares for wherever he's headed next, Snow Cat is usually nearby.
Fred tells him where he's going. Snow Cat listens. Mostly.
Then, when the adventure is over, Fred comes home with a backpack full of souvenirs, a camera full of photographs, and far too much to tell him.
Snow Cat may not travel everywhere Fred goes—but he's always part of the adventure.
We don't want children to finish a Fred Bear story simply knowing more facts about a destination. We want them to wonder about it. To ask questions. To look closer. To try something unfamiliar.
To understand that being brave doesn't mean never feeling nervous, and that exploring doesn't require traveling halfway around the world.
An adventure can begin in another country. It can begin in another state. It can begin at the museum across town. Or it can begin the next time your family walks down a street you've never explored before.
That's why Fred keeps four little reminders close to him wherever he goes:
Be Kind.
Be Curious.
Be Brave.
Explore.
They're not rules for being a perfect traveler. Fred certainly isn't one of those. They're reminders to keep looking, keep learning, keep trying, and leave a little room for the unexpected.
Because the world is a very big place. And Fred has barely started exploring it.
Look! Look!
There's still so much to see!
Start your collection and follow Fred to his real-world destinations.
Real behind-the-scenes photos and updates from Fred's actual trips.