Teddy Books Review: An Honest Look at All 10 Books by Ryan Cohen

Quick answer: The Teddy books are ten short illustrated hardcovers by Ryan Cohen in which Grandpa Teddy teaches his grandsons, Princeton and Kingston, everyday lessons. Their strengths are clear, single-lesson stories that open real conversations about saving, work, wants versus needs and friendship. Their limits: the lessons are stated plainly rather than shown subtly, a few titles need a parent to add nuance, and hardcovers cost more than paperbacks. Best value is a five-book set ($69.99) or all ten in the Complete Collection ($109.99).

Disclosure: we run Caring Parents’ Choice, a small family store that sells the Teddy books. We are not affiliated with Ryan Cohen or the publisher. We have tried to write the review we would want to read before buying, including the parts that are not a fit for every family.

The series at a glance

Author	Ryan Cohen, founder of Chewy and CEO of GameStop
Publisher	Teddy Publishing, first published 2022
Format	10 illustrated hardcover picture books, sold singly or as two five-book sets
Characters	Grandpa Teddy and his grandsons, Princeton and Kingston
Best for	Reading aloud with children about 3 to 8 (our suggestion)
Inspired by	Cohen’s father, Ted, and the lessons he taught

Book-by-book review

Book	The lesson	What works	Talk it through
Teddy and the Piggy Banks	Saving and patience	The most useful money book in the series; easy to pair with a real jar	“What would you save up for?”
Teddy Goes to Work	Work and effort	Answers “where does money come from?” in a child’s terms	Tell your child what you do at work
Teddy and the People Who Make the World Go Round	Community helpers, gratitude	Strong for preschool and Thanksgiving	Name three helpers you saw this week
Teddy Goes to China	Curiosity about other places	A first look at travel and trade	Find China on a map; ask what else is far away
Teddy Says Words Can Never Hurt You	Words, feelings, confidence	Helpful for kids who take teasing hard	Add nuance: words can hurt, and we can choose how to answer
Teddy Says Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees	Wants versus needs	The clearest wants-and-needs story in the set	Sort a shopping list into wants and needs
Teddy and the Corn Stand	Earning, a first business	Kids love the stand; it sparks real projects	Plan a lemonade or bake-sale stand together
Teddy and His Best Friend Jerry	Friendship, loyalty	Warm and not about money at all, which balances the set	“What makes someone a good friend?”
Teddy Gets a Puppy	Caring for a pet	Ideal before or after a new dog arrives	Make a pet-care chore chart
Teddy Plays in the Snow	Chores before play	A cozy winter read with a practical rule	Agree on one “first, then” routine

What we like

One lesson per book. Young children remember a single clear idea better than a complicated plot.
A grandparent as the teacher. Rare in picture books, and a big reason grandparents buy the series.
Real-life topics. Money, work, chores and pets are things families actually talk about.
Hardcovers that last through rereading and younger siblings.

What to know before you buy

The lessons are direct. If you prefer subtle, literary picture books, these will feel more like guided conversations than art books.
Some titles need a parent’s voice. The “words can never hurt you” message works best when you add that feelings matter too.
Price. A single hardcover is $16.99; the sets bring the price per book down considerably.
Not a curriculum. Four books cover money directly; the rest are about character and everyday life.

Who the Teddy books are for, and who should skip them

Great fit	Probably not for you
Parents who want an easy way to start money and values talks	Families looking for rhyming or purely funny books
Grandparents who read with grandchildren in person or on video calls	Independent readers over 9
Teachers building a financial literacy or community helpers shelf	Anyone needing a full money curriculum
Ryan Cohen and GameStop fans sharing something with their kids	Buyers who only want paperbacks

Our verdict

The Teddy books are a solid, sincere series that does what it promises: short stories that give parents and grandparents an opening to talk about money and character. Buy a single book if you need one topic right now. For most families, a five-book set is the better buy, and the Complete Collection is the best value at about $60 less than ten single books.

Best value

Complete Collection, all 10 books

$109.99 · free US shipping

See all 10 →

Best first set

Volume 1, five books

$69.99 · free US shipping

See Volume 1 →

Frequently asked questions

Are the Teddy books good?

Yes, for what they are: clear, warm picture books with one everyday lesson each. They work best read aloud, with a short conversation afterward.

Did Ryan Cohen really write the Teddy books?

Yes. Ryan Cohen is credited as the author, and the series is inspired by his father, Ted. Read the story behind Teddy.

Which Teddy book is the best?

For money, Teddy and the Piggy Banks. For character, Teddy and His Best Friend Jerry. For a new pet, Teddy Gets a Puppy.

Is the Teddy books set worth the money?

See our buying guide, Are the Teddy books worth it?, which compares singles, sets and the Complete Collection.

More: Teddy books in order · what age they suit · where to buy

Topic summaries reflect each book’s theme as described by the publisher and our own reading. Age suggestions are editorial. Caring Parents’ Choice is not affiliated with Ryan Cohen, GameStop or Chewy.

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Homeschool Money Curriculum for Ages 4–8: A Simple 10-Week Plan →Ryan Cohen’s Children’s Books: The Story Behind Teddy →

The Teddy sets

Give the whole set

Each volume is a boxed set of five illustrated hardcovers by Ryan Cohen, 32 pages each, for reading aloud with children about 3 to 8. One set covers a whole season of bedtime stories, and every set ships free in the US.