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The Berenstain Bears Go Back to School

Name: The Berenstain Bears Go Back to School
Author: Stan Berenstain
ISBN: 9780060526757

by Stan Berenstain, Mike Berenstain (Illustrator), Mike Berenstain

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Overview

On the first day of the school year, Brother and Sister Bear are nervous and excited. But with tons of new stuff to learn and explore, by the closing bell they can hardly wait for day two! There's something for everyone in this quintessential back-to-school book from Stan, Jan, and Mike Berenstain.

Synopsis

It's summer break, and the bear cubs are reminded by Mama Bear that fall is arriving and soon they will be going back to school. The cubs worry about their teachers, making sports teams, the homework, and of course, getting into trouble by the principal. But when they return to school -- they realize all their worrying was for nothing and school is a great place to bel.

Publishers Weekly

The Berenstain Bears Go Back to School by Stan and Jan Berenstain with Mike Berenstain, follows Brother and Sister Bear as they head back to class-and come to grips with the nervousness of being in a new grade. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Stan Berenstain

Stan and Jan Berenstain were already successful cartoonists for magazines and adult humor books when they began writing children's books. The first story starring the bear family, The Big Honey Hunt, appeared in 1962. Since then, more than 250 Berenstain Bears books have been published, and more than 260 million copies have been sold. What began as an idea sparked by their young sons' interest in children's books has become over the years arguably the best-selling children's book series ever.

Since their inception, the Berenstain Bears stories have expanded to include picture books, beginning readers, and chapter books—even a hit TV show on PBS. Writing and illustrating the books has become a Berenstain family affair. Mike joined with his parents as a creative team in the late 1980s. The Bear family has expanded over the years as well. Sister Bear arrived in 1974, and baby Honey joined the family in 2000.

Since Stan's death at age eighty-two in 2005, Jan and Mike have continued to write and illustrate wonderful new adventures for Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear. They live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which looks a lot like Bear Country.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

Children's Literature

Follow the Berenstain Bears as they return to school in the fall. The rhyming text takes them from waiting for the school bus to their arrival at the impeccably clean Bear Country School. Their teachers are waiting for them. Ms. Polly is the "brand-spanking new" second grade teacher. The students file into school and pass "the principal's bench where naughty cubs wait" and the sports trophy case on the way to their classrooms. At the end of the day, they board the bus and return home. After supper they will do their homework and watch a little TV. Then it is off to bed where they think about all they will learn and do at school. Rather than a story, the Berenstains have presented a listing of what goes on during the first day of school. The illustrations show the bear children going through all these activities as well as their games at recess. Many humorous touches are included in the illustrations, such as the rabbit family watching the bear children wait for the school bus and teacher Jane with eyes in the back of her head. Nothing exciting here, but nervous children who are familiar with the Berenstain bears might find some reassurance in seeing their "friends" go off to school. 2005, HarperCollins, and Ages 4 to 8.
—Sharon Salluzzo

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-This offering does little to reassure children about a new experience. Basically, it gives a tour of a school and describes some activities. The principal is made of stern stuff and has a bench "-where naughty cubs wait,/sitting so quietly/awaiting their fate." Teacher Jane says, "`You know I've got eyes in the back of my head,'" and, as illustrated, one cub imagines her with two sets of eyes. Teacher Bob introduces himself by saying, "`Third grade is hard./Third grade is tough./There's no more easy/First-gradish stuff.'" The cadence of the verse and the bright, busy illustrations in typical Berenstain style are appealing, but some of the vocabulary will be challenging for kindergartners, who will probably not recognize themselves as "-doing their very best to cope." First- through third-graders will relate better to the setting and be able to read this book independently, but why would they want to? The text says, "Though school is a challenge,/it can also be fun." True, but the only fun parts shown here are recess and going home.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.