Stephen L. Pederson introduces a fresh and imaginative approach to early literacy with “Animated ABC's: Coloring Book & Letter Printing Practice for Early Primaries,” a vibrant educational resource designed to make learning the alphabet both fun and meaningful for young children.

Created especially for early primary learners, this engaging book transforms each letter of the alphabet into a lively, cartoon-like character. Children are invited to color large, animated letters while simultaneously practicing printing both uppercase and lowercase forms. Each character features a bold, memorable name—such as April Angel, Catcher Cindy, and Giggling Gina—printed clearly above the coloring area, reinforcing letter recognition and vocabulary development.

More than a coloring book, “Animated ABC's” encourages hands-on learning through reproducible templates that allow children to draw and print letters repeatedly. This combination of creativity and repetition supports fine motor skill development while building early writing confidence. Children who are just beginning to read are naturally prompted to ask about each character's name, creating valuable opportunities for parents, guardians, and educators to actively engage in the learning process.

Stephen thoughtfully incorporates phonics concepts, including hard and soft C and G sounds, helping children make important early connections between letters and their sounds. The book also reflects inclusivity and representation, featuring both male and female characters and racially diverse illustrations presented respectfully and without stereotypes. For example, Catcher Cindy appears as a confident female baseball catcher, reinforcing positive and empowering imagery for young readers.

Ideal for kindergarten classrooms, daycare settings, or home use, “Animated ABC's” offers an excellent alternative to screen time. It provides a constructive, enjoyable activity for children taking a break from television or tablets, while still stimulating curiosity and learning.

With its playful characters, educational structure, and emphasis on parent-child interaction, “Animated ABC's: Coloring Book & Letter Printing Practice for Early Primaries” is a valuable tool for educators and families seeking to make early literacy development engaging, inclusive, and fun.

“Animated ABC's: Coloring Book & Letter Printing Practice for Early Primaries” is available now at lettersandwordfun.com and amazon.com

About the Author
Stephen Pederson is graphic artist and former CPS elementary teacher (14 yrs.) that loves designing children's learning materials. He developed interests in art, writing and science experiments, while growing up in a large family on the south side of Chicago.

After taking some art courses at the American Academy of Art, Steve worked at a couple print shops for over 5 years as a paste-up artist. He transferred to Chicago State University (CSU), graduating with a BA degree and an Illinois Elementary Teachers Certificate. Steve sub-taught a few years in CPS schools, took additional courses at CSU and became a Library-media and Art teacher at 2 CPS primary schools. He's also volunteered in several Christian churches' children-related programs.

While teaching, Steve was continually designing creative lesson plans and art projects, where his interests in art, writing and educational design coalesced. “If I had to do it over, I'd prefer to have pursued a Curriculum Design path, but for some creative people, like myself, it took years to find and develop my interdisciplinary niche.

After leaving full-time teaching, Steve tutored part-time in low-income after school programs. He's continued to pursue his 'other passion' to design creative children's educational materials, using computer graphics, writing skills and educational experiences.

Currently, Steve Pederson has designed 3 children's workbooks (Reading levels K-3rd gr.): “'Animated ABC's - Coloring Book & Letter Printing Practice for Early Primaries,” “The Learning Train - ABC's: Letter Names and Sounds. Each to Print. Pics to Color,” and “Picture-Words Unscramble: Fun Word-Play Pics to Trace and Color.”

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