It was with sadness that I learned of Jan Berenstain’s death earlier this week. Like most others who heard the news of her passing, it got me thinking about how much I enjoyed the Berenstain Bears books as a child, and how much my own little ones already love them!
This New York Times article on Jan Berenstain is more than an announcement of her passing, it’s a long list of all of the author’s accomplishments. I strongly encourage you to take a look at the article. Personally, I had no idea there were over 200 Berenstain Bears books. I also didn’t realize that recent Berenstain Bear’s books deal with current social issues like online dating and children bringing guns to school! Note: After searching through Amazon’s extensive list of Berenstain Bears books, I can’t find the books on either of these topics. Does anyone know the titles of those books?
Haiden and Piper thoroughly enjoy The Berenstain Bears, but it seems that we’ve only read the classic books with more traditional lessons. At 2 and 3 years old, I think the weighty topics (relatively speaking!) of visiting the doctor and overcoming fears of the dark are as much as any of us (myself included) can handle right now!
We do, however, have several Berenstain Bears books that are consistently read at bedtime and throughout the day.
Our Top Five Favorite Berenstain Bears Books:
1. The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma’s
2. The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble at School
3. The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin
4. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners
5.The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear
We also have some other favorites that seem to be out of print: The Berenstain Bears Hold Hands at the Big Mall and The Berenstains’ B Book are two titles that I wish all of you could pick up and read to your little ones!
On a side note, all the Berenstain Bears talk triggered my memory of Becoming Mom’s Born Again Bears blog post about the surprise of finding distinctly Christian story lines in The Berenstain Bears Do Their Best. The bible-based Living Lights publications of our favorite bear family was news to me, too, but her post made me giggle when she said, “…and if they WERE religious, wouldn’t the Berenstain bears be JEWISH?”
Regardless of the many roads the Berenstain Bears have gone down over the years, I have a feeling that every single one of you reading this post has read at least a few Berenstain Bears books; either to your little one or as a child yourself!
Your turn: Do you read Berenstain Books to your own babies? Did you like them when you were a child? Share your favorite titles in the comments!
Jen says
Going to the Dentist. That’s how I helped my daughter get ready to visit the dentist for the first (and second times). She still loves to talk about the book.
Julie says
I still have all my BB books from when I was little, probably 30 or so books. I learned to read my first word in the “New Baby” book. It was the word “the”. Cannot wait until my kids fall in love with them!
Natalie says
I love those books! My favorite was the Messy Room. I was amazed by that organized closet at the end. I think that book is to blame for my OCD tendencies!
Alyson says
Our family favorite growing up was The Spooky Old Tree. My brother would record himself reading it. My mom bought it for my son before he was even born.
gina says
My 3.5 yr old likes to watch the Berenstain Bears on Sprout – he loves them all but I loved the one where Brother went to the dentist – he had a cavity cuz he ate too many gummy bears – so whenever my DS doesnt want to brush his teeth I tell him “remember when brother bear didnt brush and ate all those sweets?” My son says “yeah he had a cavity!” I say yep so lets brush and he always does =)
Lynsey Jones says
Awww mine was the Dentist one too!! I LOVE the Berenstain Bears!!!