Jan BerenstainReviews

The Bear Detectives come to the aid of Dr. Bear at the Bear Museum. With less than an hour to spare, the cubs must find the missing dinosaur bone so that everyone can enjoy the dinosaur exhibit.

Papa Bear tries to teach Small Bear how to find honey in a honey tree.

'Tis the season to read Halloween books!

Brother and Sister Bear set out for their first trick-or-treat expedition without parental supervision and -- as the book drives home with a sledgehammer -- learn a lesson about how appearances can be deceiving.

Heavy-handed and boring. But my daughter enjoyed it when she was five.

FOR REFERENCE:

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Rated "Indifferent" in our old book database by Rod; rated "Good" by Adelia.

'Tis the season for Halloween reading!

Papa Bear is a bit too enthusiastic about making a scary Halloween haunted house for a school benefit. Despite Mama Bear's constant nagging to not make it too scary as to give nightmares to the little ones who will be going through, Papa doesn't learn his lesson until he experiences a little fear of his own.

While I enjoyed many of the early Berenstain books despite a tendency to preachiness, the later ones seem even more heavy-handed and quite dull. This one was published the year Stan Berenstain died. Even my daughter, a five-year-old Berenstain fanatic at the time, found it disappointing.

FOR REFERENCE:

Rated “Indifferent" in our old book database by Rod and Adelia.

When Papa Bear discovers that almost all of the antiques in the Grizzly mansion have been replaced with fakes, the Bear Detectives spring into action. Could it really be as simple as the butler did it?

These books can be wordy, but they all come with a moral theme that will open students eyes to what is expected of them as they get older. I would recommend this for grades 2-5 and it should be guided by the teacher because there is plenty being said and it is important that the readers understand the plot.

A lovely book to explore the seasons, different types of animals and plants, with young children!

More often than not, children's books present topics which are relatively gentle. Stan and Jan Berenstain, however, have never shied away from presenting problems in a way that the youngest readers can understand. While most of their books revolve around things like new babies and messy rooms, this husband and wife team also show kids the fun and danger of adventure. In this book, the three bear siblings set off to explore a spooky old tree armed with a stick, a light, and a rope. Inside, they find twisting stairs, hidden passages, and the fearsome Great Sleeping Bear. By the end of their escapade, they all end up with the shivers, but make it "home again. Safe at last." The words have a comfortable predictability about them as the Berenstain's employ a slightly evolutionary rhyme and repetition. The dark, detailed pictures also enhance the excitement and mystery of the story.

Ms and Mx liked it. A story about the importance of eating healthfully.

Mx liked. A story about telling the truth when something in the house got broken and the kids were afraid M&D would be upset.

Mx and Ms liked. A story resolving conflicts between the kids and M&D.

Mx and Ms Christmas favorite. A nice flipbook of winter/Christmas scenes.

This book is about the Berenstain bear's Christmas, and Poppa bear is trying to teach baby bear how to ski and skate and sled. I think that this book would be a very good earlier reader as well, maybe for like younger grades like 1st or 2nd.

Preschool- 2

As a children, my brother and I had a ton of The Berenstain Bears books.

As an adult, reflecting, these might have been some of the better books for children available. I think I'll read a few more...
And then likely see if my mother has ours tucked away in storage somewhere.

Simple book about baby animals.

Rated "Good" in our old book database by Rod and Adelia

Mystery

Mystery

Alphabet

Alphabet

Family

Social Conditions

Adventure

Adversity