I'm Sticking with You
Part of the collectionI'm Sticking with You→Best for 2–6s and a cuddle-up read-aloud — internationally bestselling Bear-and-Squirrel stories about devoted, whole-hearted friendship.
- Books3
- Arcs1
- Span2020–2022
- StatusOngoing
The series
At a glance.
Bear and Squirrel are the very best of friends, and wherever Squirrel goes, Bear is right behind him. Across three rhyming picture books they navigate the everyday give-and-take of a close friendship: Bear's accident-prone devotion and Squirrel's need for a little space; the arrival of eager, noisy Chicken and the question of whether there's room for a third; and Bear's party-day shyness and the quiet, steadying help a good friend gives. Smriti Halls's bouncy read-aloud rhyme and Steve Small's characterful, gently funny artwork make each book a joyful shared read and a reassuring prompt for talking about closeness, welcoming others in, and confidence.
Best for 2–6s and a cuddle-up read-aloud — internationally bestselling Bear-and-Squirrel stories about devoted, whole-hearted friendship.
Primary themes
Overall tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Heartwarming
- Gentle
Each book stands alone, but publication order (I'm Sticking with You, then Too, then Let's Stick Together) traces the friendship's growth from a twosome to a welcoming little gang.
One arc
The shape of the series.
- IStandalone collection arcLow sensitivity
Bear and Squirrel
Standalone rhyming stories about Bear and Squirrel: devotion and space, making room for a new friend, and helping each other through shyness.
The I'm Sticking with You books are episodic — three self-contained friendship stories sharing the same beloved Bear and Squirrel. In the first, Bear's clumsy devotion pushes Squirrel to ask for space, until Squirrel discovers how much duller life is without his friend. In I'm Sticking with You Too, eager Chicken wants to join in, and the pair learn that opening up their friendship makes it bigger and braver. In Let's Stick Together, a party looms and shy Bear needs Squirrel's quiet, steadying help. All three are low-sensitivity, warm and reassuring, built around friendship, inclusion and confidence.
Fit check
Right for your reader?
Where the series lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 17
- 19
- Best fit · 2–6
- Read aloud · 2–6
- Independent · 5–7
Reluctant-reader friendliness
Very high
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Adult crossover
Low
Grows with the reader
Not especially
Sensitivity envelope
Low overall, and consistent.
Where it sits
In conversation with other series.
About the author