North Dakota Legendary Learners
Introduction
A cast of characters to encourage curiosity and confidence in little learners.
Client
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
Service
Creative Production
The Challenge
The first five years of a child’s life are critical for learning and development, but for many parents and caregivers, knowing how to support that growth can feel overwhelming. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) wanted to create a statewide initiative that would make early learning engaging and accessible for families. While available funds would only cover program branding and a pilot guide focused on literacy skills, they wanted a scalable and sustainable framework they could build upon.
The Solution
The team at NDDPI had a cast of characters in mind, all animals native to the state, that would be core to the initiative. In keeping with North Dakota’s slogan, they were to become the Legendary Learners. The client wanted each character to carry an innate approach to learning; read, talk, play, and explore. It was also vital that kids could see themselves in these characters, so we identified different personalities they might relate to. One-by-one, Theo, Willow, Chip, and Ember came to life. Mr. Wise Eagle, their trusted Kindergarten teacher, caps off the crew.
The Legendary Learners brand identity was crafted to blend bold superhero confidence with childhood innocence, representing every learner’s potential for greatness. Adaptable variations support clear, consistent use across platforms as the program expands.
Guide Book
Next, we set out to develop a family guidebook that offered practical strategies and resources for parents alongside engaging content for the kiddos. An introductory story invites little readers to experience the Legendary Learners’ first day of school, told through Theo Bison’s perspective. The copy and illustrations share the work of capturing Theo’s worries, discoveries, and growing confidence as he moves through his day. His catchphrase, “I can do that!”, reinforces the program’s mission and gives kids a mantra to carry forward.
The classroom scrapbook shares fun activities the characters have enjoyed with their families, sparking ideas for parents and excitement in young learners. It sets the stage for the instructional guide, with actionable tips and strategies for parents and caregivers to build literacy skills in their own legendary learners at home.
Animation
Although animation wasn’t part of NDDPI’s original request, we saw an opportunity to bring the characters to life beyond the page. To preserve the innocence and charm of the storybook, the characters take on frame-by-frame motion and scene transitions take us from page to page. The narration playfully reflects Theo’s growing confidence and offers an exceptionally brilliant dinosaur roar.
Families, educators, and administrators quickly embraced Legendary Learners, with nearly two-thirds of the 30,000 books distributed state-wide before the program officially launched. NDDPI hopes to expand the series with future guides and videos focused on other early‑childhood skills.
Storyboard
Extras
